ship's bells
Maritime watch signals
Ship's bells is a system of timekeeping used aboard naval and merchant vessels, marking half-hour intervals during four-hour watches.
One bell sounds at the first half hour, two at the second, up to eight bells at the end of each watch.
The pattern then resets.
Eight bells and all's well.
The system persists as nautical tradition even on modern ships with clocks.
- dogwatchShort maritime evening shift
- first watchEvening maritime duty period
- chronometerPrecision timekeeping instrument
- foghornLoud maritime warning device
- watchkeepingSustained observation duty
muster · all hands · naval tradition · helm · distress signal · binnacle · nautical almanac · compass · tide table · sextant · meridian · sea shanty · anchor · crow's nest · porthole · bulkhead · davit · rigging
ship's bellsdigital clock
Timekeeper showing numerals
atomic clock · sundial · standard time · wristwatch · 24-hour clock
ship's bellsdinner bell
Mealtime summoning device
school bell · church bells · alarm bell · doorbell · fire bell
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