Ship Ahoax

Ship Ahoax is the 23rd episode of the second season of Gilligan's Island and the 59th overall episode in the series. It first aired February 24, 1966.

Synopsis
The Skipper and Gilligan have been fighting a lot, their arguments turning territorial as they draw the line down the middle of the hut to divide it. The Skipper is tired of Gilligan letting the Howells and the girls store their luggage in their hut and orders him to return it to them. The fighting spills over to the Howells and the girls as well with even Mary Ann snapping at Gilligan. The Professor is the only rational witness to the goings-on who goes to Ginger to explain the isolation and lack of hope for a rescue has been trying everyone's patience. After Ginger convinces Gilligan that she can predict the tremors on the Island, the Professor conspires with her to convince everyone that she can predict the future. After placing the radio briefly out of commission, Ginger listens to the news and accurately predicts stock prices and an Army-Navy game, giving Gilligan an edge to win bets against the Skipper and Mr. Howell. With everyone believing Ginger has the gift of premonition, she stages a gypsy reading and pretends to predict a fleet of rescue ships in the area, a prediction that actually comes true when the radio broadcasts a fleet of Navy destroyers will be in the area searching for the lost U.S.S. York. Ginger begins to believe she really does have psychic skills, even as the Professor chastises her for her belief, but he still convinces her to continue the fortune-reading illusion. By now, both she and Mary Ann as well as the Howells have made up, but Gilligan and the Skipper are still at odds. Even after the York is found, Ginger holds a séance with the Professor faking paranormal events. Even as she predicts their rescue ship will appear when the moon turns blue, she's secretly passing notes to everyone telling everyone that she's a fake. Each of the Castaways believes they're the only one keeping her secret, but a few nights later, Gilligan, now back on good terms with the Skipper, sees a blue moon and rushes off to light the signal fire. The Skipper heads off to tell Gilligan the truth. When he checks the note still in his pocket, Gilligan realizes that they must be the only two Ginger trusts and head back to their hut without lighting the signal fire... just as a ship passes close by the island.

Message

 * "Hope for the future is necessary for survival."

Highlights

 * Ginger as a gypsy fortune teller
 * The Professor under the table

Credits
Main Cast
 * Bob Denver as Gilligan
 * Alan Hale, Jr. as The Skipper
 * Jim Backus as Mr. Howell
 * Natalie Schafer as Mrs. Howell
 * Tina Louise as Ginger
 * Dawn Wells as Mary Ann
 * Russell Johnson as The Professor

Guest Cast
 * John Facenda as the Radio Announcer

Trivia

 * The Professor alludes to another shipwreck with castaways near Melanesia in his story to Gilligan.
 * Gilligan tells Ginger that he doesn't believe in ghosts or goblins, but this is contrary to previous episodes, particularly Voodoo Something to Me and Ghost a Go-Go. The Skipper also must have forgotten the stories of voodoo he told in the first season because he also claims he doesn't believe in ghosts.
 * The Professor attributes the quote, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive" to William Shakespeare, but it was actually said by Sir Walter Scott.
 * Ginger tells the Professor she can predict the tremors by a vase shaking in her hut; the tremors are likely linked to the volcano on the island.
 * The Professor asks Ginger if she can do a séance even though Ginger already told him she could. Maybe he meant to ask if she could "fake" a séance.
 * Mary Ann and Ginger make up when they hear of the prediction of their imminent rescue, but Gilligan and Skipper are still feuding.
 * The crystal ball possibly came out of the magician's crate in It's Magic
 * The Professor tells the castaways that Ginger will predict the exact time of their rescue with a séance; but he suspiciously absents himself from it under the pretense that the whole thing is "silly." The other castaways should have been suspicious of the paranormal activity in lieu of his absence.
 * Ginger thinks she has "the power" after she makes an accurate premonition; Gilligan also thinks he has powers after tremors rock the island in Waiting for Watubi.
 * The Professor wears his sport coat under the table when he would have been better without it to lift the table.
 * When the Professor lifts the table during the séance;, none of the other Castaways's feet are visible under the table. However, he might be under the stage instead of the table in order to keep from being noticed.
 * The Skipper actually foils a rescue by calling Gilligan back from lighting the signal fire as a ship passes by off shore, although no one is aware of it. Although, why they didn't just light it when the ghosts were in the area remains unrevealed.

Quotes

 * Ginger - "In five minutes, I can convince him he's President Johnson... In ten that he's Lady Bird!"

Quoted by the Professor
 * William Shakespeare - "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive."