Monday, February 17, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
February 6th - The Shifty Sailors Lead Song Circle at the Northwest Maritime Center!
The Shifty Sailors are a male singing group from Whidbey Island, Washington, well known in the Pacific Northwest for their enthusiastic singing and crowd-pleasing presentations. They are unique in that they are one of the only large groups in the U.S. dedicated to a nautical repertoire.Save the Date! On February 6 from 6-8 p.m., the Shifty Sailors will be here in Port Townsend to lead a rousing and entertaining Sing Shanties Song Circle!
Their main mission is to make sure the surrounding maritime communities understand their own nautical history, by singing where ever they are invited to have fun with the public. The Shifty Sailors consider themselves Ambassadors of Whidbey Island, the State of Washington and the United States when traveling here and abroad.
The Port Townsend Pizza Factory will also deliver pizzas to the NWMC shanty sing, and give a 10% discount (menus available).
We meet on this first Thursday of February upstairs at the Northwest Maritime Center in the Maritime Meeting Room West, above the Chandlery and across from the office, library and restrooms.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
A Sailor's Christmas
Sail on the horizons, gotta landfall rendezvous
Captain steers a well known course, he steers straight and true
As he trims the sheets, he sings a song he learned on boats and bars
Sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor 'neath the stars
He's traveled through the doldrums, typhoons and hurricanes
He's logged a million soggy miles with water on his brain
But Christmas is the season better suited for dry land
He'll tell some lies, meet some spies and dance barefoot in the sand
The sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor on the hook
Caye con les, no work today, let's shell the ol' log book
The waterfront is reveling, the season has begun
The sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor having fun
There's a party down at Le Selecte, music, rum and cheers
Faces in the shadows, God, I haven't seen for years
A mast and shroud fill with lights 'neath the waning of the moon
They're an airy celebration in the realm of King Neptune
The sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor on the hook
Caye con les, no work today, let's shell the ol' log book
The waterfront is reveling, the season has begun
The sailor spends his Christmas in a harbor having fun
Jesus was a fisherman who walked upon the sea
The North Pole is ocean's remote frozen balcony
The continents keep drifting but the children sing and play
'Cause nothing really matters, after all it's Christmas day
The sailor spends his Christmas in a harbour on the hook
Vaye con les, no work today, he read it in a book
The waterfront is reveling, the season has begun
A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbour having fun
A sailor spends his Christmas in a harbour having fun Havin' fun, havin' fun, havin' fun
Songwriters JIMMY BUFFETT Published by Lyrics © BUG MUSIC
Read more: Jimmy Buffett - A Sailor's Christmas Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Monday, December 9, 2013
The Christmas Tree Ship
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Sailing into Eternity |
"One hundred years ago, Christmas trees were delivered from northern Wisconsin to cities throughout the state and Illinois by schooner. The schooner Rouse Simmons was loaded with 5,000 Christmas trees and bound for Chicago when she encountered a violent winter gale. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to withstand the waves, wind and ice and she sank off the coast of Two Rivers on November 22, 1912.
To commemorate the schooner, also known as the Christmas Tree Ship, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the Door County Maritime Museum are celebrating Christmas the entire year."
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| Yuletide Cargo |
Visit the Wisconsin Maritime Museum for more information and schedule of events.
Christmas at Sea
All day we fought the tides between the North Head and the South
All day we hauled the frozen sheets, to 'scape the storm's wet mouth
All day as cold as charity, in bitter pain and dread,
For very life and nature we tacked from head to head.
Thograinn Thograinn
Thograinn thograinn bhith dol dhachaidh
(I wish we were going home)
E ho ro e ho ro
Gu Sgoirebreac a chruidh chaisfhinn
(To Scorrybreck of the white-footed cattle)
E ho hi ri ill iu o
Ill iu o thograinn falbh
Gu Sgoirebreac a' chruidh chais-fhionn
(To Scorrybreck of the white-footed cattle)
E ho ro e ho ro
Ceud soraidh bhuam mar bu dual dhomh
(The first blessing from me, as is my right)
We gave the South a wider berth, for there the tide-race roared;
But every tack we made we brought the North Head close aboard:
We saw the cliffs and houses, and the breakers running high,
And the coastguard in his garden, his glass against his eye.
The frost was on the village roofs as white as ocean foam;
The good red fires were burning bright in every 'longshore home;
The windows sparkled clear, and the chimneys volleyed out;
And I vow we sniffed the victuals as the vessel went about.
The bells upon the church were rung with a mighty jovial cheer;
For it's just that I should tell you how (of all days in the year)
This day of our adversity was blessed Christmas morn,
And the house above the coastguard's was the house where I was born.
And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that was of me,
Of the shadow on the household and the son that went to sea;
And O the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind of way,
To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessed Christmas Day.
Poem by Robert Louis Stevenson / Music by Sting
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Tis the Season to Give Gifts - Last of our Sing Shanties & Songs About the Sea Songbooks Available !
Christmas is a great time to give our Sing Shanties & Songs About the Sea songbooks for gifts! We have 36 songbooks left in our retail inventory. If you live in the area, contact us at singshanties(at)gmail(dot)com to arrange local pick up and payment, or to have shipped. Price: $11.95 + 9% tax in the State of Washington + S/H $4.50.
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