Bells

Time is marked at sea by striking the ship’s bell every half-hour during each of the seven watches of the day. At noon, the helmsman strikes eight bells; at 12:30 one bell; and so on through the afternoon watch, adding one bell each half-hour, until 4 p.m. when eight bells is sounded again. The process is repeated from 4 to 8 p.m. (covering the first and second dogwatch); from 8 p.m. to midnight (the first watch), from midnight to 4 a.m. (the middle watch); from 4 to 8 a.m. (the morning watch) and from 8 a.m. to noon (the forenoon watch.)