keep a weather eye on the horizon

Do you know if it’s old-fashioned? If so, perhaps you have some alternatives in mind? Etymology is also welcomed.

I’ve seen it in the past tense: “Keep a weathered on on the horizon”. Used, as far as I can determine, when searching for land when asea, by people like Christopher Columbus.
Also used when watching for a change in the weather, as e.g., here in midwest watching for tornados, by storm chasers.

The following is from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website:

Weather-eye: to keep a sharp eye to the weather, to keep alert for storms and changing weather. A sailor would say “keep your weather-eye open” or “keep a weather eye on the horizon.”

I love this saying/ idiom. Therefore, I’d love to find a way to use it once in a while. If keeping it related to the weather only, would it be up to date?
I don’t want to sound like someone from 15th century though

P.S. Whenever I make a mistake in my posting (not finger-slip like though), please don’t hesitate to correct me. It will be highly appreciated!

Seafarers of yore had no maps, GPS, or satellites to warn them of hazards that lay ahead.

To give sufficient notice of danger, the ship’s lad would be sent to the crows nest, and a neutered male sheep would be thrown overboard to swim ahead of the ship.  If the sheep came upon a reef, it would stop swimming, stand up, and look back to the ship in the hope of being picked up.  The first person to notice it would be the lad aloft.  Upon seeing the whether eye, the lad would shout to the helmsman to adjust course to avoid the reef.

When hurricanes struck, another neutered male sheep would be cast overboard, tethered to the stern.  The drag of the sheep would keep the ship facing head on to oncoming seas, and the vessel would whether the storm.

Thanks for all the background! I’d still wish to know some more about the usage of it though Mainly if it’s still used now a days.

douglang - 27 July 2009 03:56 PM

Seafarers of yore had no maps, GPS, or satellites to warn them of hazards that lay ahead.

To give sufficient notice of danger, the ship’s lad would be sent to the crows nest, and a neutered male sheep would be thrown overboard to swim ahead of the ship.  If the sheep came upon a reef, it would stop swimming, stand up, and look back to the ship in the hope of being picked up.  The first person to notice it would be the lad aloft.  Upon seeing the whether eye, the lad would shout to the helmsman to adjust course to avoid the reef.

When hurricanes struck, another neutered male sheep would be cast overboard, tethered to the stern.  The drag of the sheep would keep the ship facing head on to oncoming seas, and the vessel would whether the storm.

WHICH MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TERM ‘BELL WHETHER’?
I know that refers to sheep.
Why are the sheep neutered

Good question!

Luke, there is an interesting and informative thread on bellwether already.  Type “bellwether” in search and go to “most commonly misspelled words”

Thanks I will.