Deep six

Posted by Dhm on July 02, 2004

In Reply to: Deep six posted by Michael Young on July 02, 2004

: To whom it may concern;
: It is my understanding that the term deep six refers to a proper burial at sea. the term is derived from the time when they still measured the depth of the water with a phathom line. six phathoms was considered the minimum depth consider to be deep water, and the minimum depth depth need to give a body a proper burial at sea. thus the term deep six. I could be wrong but its food for thought?

I don't know. Shakespeare had it 5 fathoms, didn't he.

"Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
Nothing of him that does fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange."

Maybe the oceans are deeper now due to global warming.

• Deep six ESC -- (U.S.) 02/July/04