Sailor's Encouragement/Sympathy Card

Encourage a struggling sailor and let them know you are there for them with these hand-painted watercolor maritime signal flags. This specific flag combination, universal in all languages, means "I will stand by to assist you." This card is blank inside with an explanation of the flag combination on the back. A story of comfort: In 1926, as the British ship Antinoe was foundering in a storm off San Francisco, the SS President Roosevelt came to its aid displaying the maritime signal flags A over I. The meaning: "I will not abandon you." The Roosevelt stayed with the Antinoe in the storm for 85 hours and saved every soul aboard, despite losing two of her own crew in the attempt. The meaning of signal flag combinations have changed many times in the past century. Today, we display the flags Charlie and Golf over the Numeral 1 Pennant to convey the message, "I will stand by to assist you." In March 2020, as the pandemic threatened lives and livelihoods, the San Francisco Yacht Club displayed these flags as a message to sailors and the community. More sailing clubs followed their lead, including my home club Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa, FL. Because the book of maritime signals is published internationally and is the same in every language, flying these flags is a universal sign of support.