Scuttlebutt.

A scuttle is an opening in a hatch or the side of a ship to admit air. In the olden days, they kept the drinking water in a cask - a butt - on deck, with a hole - a scuttle - cut in its side. Sailors gathered around the scuttlebutt to drink, and naturally watercooler talk ensued. Hence, "scuttlebutt" came to refer to gossip.