shipping them green

When a ship is heading into waves, its bow will sometimes plunge into the onrushing wave. At first, spray will break over the bow, but as the height of the waves increases, the bow will plunge deeper into the wave, and instead of spray, unbroken green water will pour onto the Fo'c'sle and decks. Hence the seafarer's expression "Shipping them green", implying worsening weather, or, by extension, a worsening and/or dangerous or unsatisfactory situation.