What's The Story Behind Rubber Ducks On Jeeps And Cruise Ships

(KMDL-FM) If you were looking for common ground, a common thread if you will, between those who like cruise ships, Jeeps, and taking a bath, you would find that one thing in common to be an ordinary rubber duck. Okay, it started out with ordinary rubber ducks, but fans of Jeeps and those who like to take cruises have elevated their duck game to a whole new level.

yellow and white duck inflatable float — Photo by Rebecca Lee on Unsplash

Both the Jeep and the cruise ship connections with rubber ducks came about because people wanted other people, total strangers even, to feel better. The ducks were used as a symbol of "job well done" or "I see you" or a way of acknowledgement that could in no way, shape, form, or fashion be attributed to being a coincidence.

Why a Rubber Duck?

Let's face it, if you're in the middle of the ocean or on a high mountain trail and all of a sudden out of nowhere an unexplained rubber duck shows up, well that means you've been noticed.

In researching the backstories for why rubber ducks became a connected symbol for cruise fans and Jeepers, we found that each connection appears to have a source story.

When Did People First Start Hiding Ducks on Cruise Ships?

According to cruise ship lore, there appears to be a substantiated account of a young woman, Abby Davis, who was 10 years old back in 2018. Abby came up with a plan to hide 50 tagged rubber ducks on a cruise ship that she and her family were taking on a trip.

Several colorful, decorated rubber ducks displayed outdoors. — Photo by Thomas Underwood on Unsplash

The tags included instructions for the next guest. Often, those instructions include a name, an address, and whether the person is supposed to keep the found duck as a souvenir or whether the duck is to be rehidden for another cruise.

There are specific guidelines that each cruise line has in regard to the hiding and placing of ducks on their seagoing vessels, so check with your cruise line to see if it's okay to do it and then where it's okay to do it safely.

Why Do Jeepers Collect Rubber Ducks?

The Rubber Duck Jeep connection appears to have its origins in Canada in 2020. It sure seems as if the Jeep Ducking has been around a lot longer, but according to this source, a Jeep owner in Ontario wanted to cheer up a fellow Jeeper after a tough day, so they left a rubber duck and a note. The picture went viral, and now folks who drive Jeeps probably collect ducks.

Because getting a duck left on your Jeep is considered to be a high form of compliment. It might mean your ride is cool, it looks nice, you've kept it up well, or maybe it's just a "glad to share the road and off-road with you". That's why you see Jeeps and ducks together in so many places.

Personally, it just seems like whether you're in a Jeep or on a cruise, the ducks signify that we are all in this together. I don't drive a Jeep, and I have never found a duck on a cruise, but the fact that other human beings do this random act of kindness to show support for other humans is really quite refreshing.

I would love to know how many ducks you've got in your Jeep or how many you've found and shared on cruises. Do you still share the ducks? Or have you run out of ducks to give?