ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Custom of the sea

The custom of the sea is a very old rule that says if two ships meet in the middle of the ocean and one of them is in trouble, the other ship has to help them out. It’s kind of like when you see someone who needs help on the playground, you go and help them.

When two ships are far away from land, they are all alone, and no one can help them if something goes wrong. If one of the ships runs out of food, water, or fuel, they can’t just go to the store to get more. That's where the custom of the sea comes in. If a ship is in trouble, the other ship has to stop and help them.

This custom has been around for a long, long time, and it is considered to be the right thing to do. Sailors all over the world follow this custom because they know that if they are ever in trouble themselves, someone else will come to help them.

So, to summarize, custom of the sea is an important rule that says all sailors have a duty to help each other when they are at sea because nobody else can help them. It is like helping a friend in need when they need your help.