the.com/bilge water
The ocean's dirtiest secret: a ship's own sweat, pooling in its basement.
means The foul, stagnant water that collects in the lowest part of a ship's hull, mixed with oil, rust, and whatever filth has drained down there.
from From 'bilge,' the curved part of a ship's hull where the sides meet the bottom — a term that emerged in nautical use for that lowest structural curve. Water, condensation, leaks, and spills all obey gravity and end up pooling there, turning rank with rust and grime, which is how 'bilge water' became shorthand for something foul — and later, slang for nonsense or worthless talk.
- what it is
- Leaked water, oil, and grime collecting in a hull
- the smell
- Notoriously foul, a mix of diesel and rot
- the phrase
- Sailors used it as slang for worthless nonsense
- dumping rules
- Modern law bans releasing it untreated at sea