Blue Peter - Nautical Flag

About the Blue Papa Code Signal Flag

Representing the letter “P”, the Blue Papa flag is used to signal other ships without using radio or other technology. Officially, the flag means that “all persons should report on board as the vessel is about to proceed to sea”. In other words, it means that the voyage is about to begin. One of the first documented uses of this flag came in 1777, and to this day no one truly knows the significance of the term “peter”. One guess is that it acts as a stand in for the French word “partier” which means to leave or depart.

Interestingly, the Blue Peter flag is also featured in a BBC kids television show. Beginning production in 1958, the show Blue Peter is the world’s longest-running kids TV show. They chose to name the show after the flag because it represents a “voyage of adventure” and discovery for its young viewers.

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