Why is 130 known as three bells at sea?

The term "three bells" at sea refers to a specific timekeeping convention used in maritime contexts. On ships, the day is divided into six four-hour watches, with each watch marked by the ringing of bells. Each hour within a watch is signaled by a bell, so "three bells" indicates that it is the third hour of a watch, which corresponds to 1:30. Therefore, 130 (or 1:30) is known as "three bells" at sea.