Heavy is the head that bears the Sea King’s crown, not to mention the weight of that trident. Last week we posted this image of Poseidon, which sits behind Sail Nauticus in Norfolk, Va and asked readers to tell us what they think is on the big guy’s mind.

Let’s take just a moment to review who this powerful symbol of the sea is according to Greek lore because there’s a whole lot more to him than just making waves. (Welcome to the global pandemic where Waterway Guide News Editor, Lisa Suhay has plenty of time on her hands to review Greek mythology in order to add richness to the lock-down experience.)

Poseidon (puh-SYE-dun or poh-SYE-dun; Roman name Neptune) is the god of the sea (and of water generally), earthquakes, and horses. He is distinguished from Pontus, the personification of the sea and the oldest Greek divinity of the waters. The name Poseidon means either “husband of the earth” or “lord of the earth.” Traditionally, he was a son of Cronus the youngest of the 12 Titans) and of Cronus’s sister and consort Rhea, a fertility goddess. Poseidon is the brother of Zeus. For those who are hazy on their ancient Greek deities, he’s the sky god and chief deity of ancient Greece, and of Hades, god of the underworld. When the three brothers deposed their father, the kingdom of the sea fell by lot to Poseidon. His weapon and main symbol was the trident, perhaps once a fishing spear. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, Poseidon’s trident, like Zeus’s thunderbolt and Hades’ helmet, was fashioned by the three Cyclopses.

Turns out, readers have a mind-meld with their sea deity because the answers were variations on a theme, put succinctly by  Lee Sieron of Fort Lauderdale, “He’s pissed off at humans for the way they treat his domain! i.e. POLLUTION!”

First Place TIE:

Polluted and Pandemically Peeved by LeRoy Miller, Gulf Coast FL

“Poseidon is peeved -- very.  He has watched as humans dump plastic into his seas for years.  Now he is seeing weather/climate changes. This is his responsibility. Now they have closed the beaches,  ramps and land accesses. He can not get out of this mess without breaking some human laws about staying at home.  He is thinking, ‘Don't mess with the big boys. I'll make you pay for this.’”

The King is Ready to Rumble by Alan Myers, Aransas Pass, TX

"You bet your sweet transom I'm angry. For years you've built your ugly buildings along the edges of my beautiful seas, spoiling the view. I've tolerated this somewhat by occasionally knocking some down with a good storm, even though you soon rebuild.

The last straw however, is this carbon pollution that is killing the oceans. Acidification is thinning the shells of many sea creatures. Coral reefs are bleaching and dying. And what are you humans doing about it? I'm warning you. Humans cannot live with dead oceans, but the inverse is not true. If you don't do something quickly, I'm ready to go to war. And you know who would win don't you?"

Second Place: Livid over COVID by John Robbins, Apollo Beach, FL

“He is peeved because cruise ships full of passengers who may have COVID-19 are not allowed back on land and have to stay in his waters.”

Third Place: Daddy’s Angry by J. Brad Peek aboard SV Fuzzy Logic

“Poseidon has put on his 'I love you, but I'm very disappointed in your behavior' face for his children because they can't stop fighting with each other.”  J. Brad Peek aboard SV Fuzzy Logic

Honorable Mention: Musta been something he ate by John Anderson, Colonial Heights, VA 

“I should have known better than to swallow that fish tail-first!”

Each winner will have his choice of Waterway Guide publication as a prize. If you have a boating-related photo you think would be a fun challenge for a story contest send it to news@waterwayguide.com an put either "Photo for story contest" in the subject line.

Editor's Note: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues into Hurricane Season Waterway Guide will continue to supply cutting-edge resources and information on all fronts. Waterway Guide Media is committed to researching and presenting up-to-date and verified information specific to the status of access to marinas and service facilities across our coverage areas. Our team is also providing updates on how jurisdictions and state governments are issuing orders and changing rules moment-by-moment in response to conditions in their locales. Our team is your team through any kind of storm.