Bay of Conception Temp report: it's “Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey”

“BRASS MONKEY”




CANNON BALLS: In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but prevent them from rolling about the deck. The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of thirty cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem - how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding/rolling from under the others.

The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey," with sixteen round indentations. If this plate was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys." Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the cannon balls would come right off the monkey.

Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!"

...and that's how cold it is these last few mornings in Conception Bay, Baja Sur, Mexico!!

Thanks.

Thanks Roger,

for the memories from your early days on the seas

Karl

BRASS MONKEYS

Pompano - good one!

You had me going there for a moment . . . actually, brass monkeys were popular in Victorian times, imported from China - here is a photo of one on a particularly chilly morning in South London.

And that fact made it perfect for Jake...and sidekick.