I love nautical terminology. I love how a simple word, phrase or item can have such a fun twist when you bring it to the ocean; not to mention the fun words that were created on ships and are no longer used. Awhile back I stumbled across a book of nautical terms on the bookshelf and that got me thinking about posting a nautical term every week here on the blog would be fun.
The book, The Visual Encyclopedia of Nautical Terms Under Sail, had been gifted to Captain Dave Allen and his wife Sue, the previous stewards of the J&E Riggin. On the title flap are 24 signatures, a note that reads ‘To Dave & Sue 7/23/82′ and song/poem:
Roll out the Riggin
We’ll have an Ocean of fun
Sail out the Riggin
We’ll have the fleet on the Run
hoist up the Anchor
And when the great Race is done
We’re sure glad we sailed the Riggin
Cause She’s Number One
To me it reads like a sea shanty written by the passengers on the July 23rd 1982 cruise, a cruise that may have been the annual race week…..and dare I say the Riggin won? Given the sea shanty nature of the song/poem, what better word to get us started with nautical terms than ‘shanty‘?!
A shanty or chanty is a song sung on board to help hands work in unison, for instance while pulling on ropes or heaving at the capstan. Usually included in short solo verses and hearty choruses.*
While hauling lines to raise the sails in the morning or while you’re on anchor duty there is nothing better than hearing Annie sing a shanty like “Rollin Down to Old Maui” keeping cadence to the work. You may have also heard this particular song sung by former crew member Susan Hickey on Water Meets Sand or on our Music Week trip with singer/storyteller Geoff Kauffman. (The CD’s for both Susan & Geoff are available in our ship’s store.) For an audio example check out this version by Stan Rogers.
*Definition from The Visual Encyclopedia of Nautical Terms Under Sail by Basil w. Bathe, 1978
4 Comments
I think it’s a great idea! I liked it so much, I subscribed to your blog.
I took some pictures of the Riggin from the Rockland Breakwater. I hope to get more this summer as I’m working on a series of paintings of the Rockland schooner fleet. Something I’ve always wanted to do.
Wonderful! I’m glad you like this idea too, and that you subscribed.
Your schooner painting project sounds like a lot of fun. We’ll look forward to seeing them when you are done!
Thanks.
I’m from Rockland but for years I only watched the schooners head out and come in. I remember seeing the Victory Chimes passing the lighthouse when I was a little boy.
I’ve always been fascinated with the ships but my focus artistically for years was just landscape. I finally decided to get on with it. I’ve done a few…more are coming.
Poem sung to “Roll Out the Barrel”. Thanks for that…now the tune is stuck in my head!