# RE: Are ships captains allowed to marry people at sea?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/588307>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [July 8, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/588307 "2011-07-08T13:59:15Z")\
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**Author:** ![Geedavey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f6c823/32.png) [@Geedavey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geedavey)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/588307/1 "2011-07-08T13:59:15Z")

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> **[Are ships’ captains allowed to marry people at sea?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341721/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea)**

No doubt the myth’s credibility was greatly enhanced by the famous marriage scene in John Houston’s blockbuster movie _ **The African Queen** _ starring Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn, featuring a scene where the Nazi ship’s captain utters that immortal line, “I now pronounce you man and wife. Proceed with the execution!”

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