hey, if you like/liked the longest johns, please please please go check out the corries. the longest johns honestly aren't a bad introduction to a bunch of folk music from Canada and great Britain, but if you enjoy it you should really take a look at some of the work by both The Corries and Stan Rogers. Let the longest johns be a gateway, but please look beyond them alone.
The Fisherman’s Friends (this is the “Haul Away Joe” to me)
The Exmouth Shanty Men
And given how maritime music was just one thematic focus of traditional folk music rather than a genre, ya gotta treat yourself to casting your nets wider to artists like
The Chieftains
The Clancy Brothers
And also YEAH, if you’re going to a sea shanty sing and you don’t know Stan Rogers, you will want to by the time you leave. So cut out the middleman 👌
18th century skull and crossbones drawings in Logbooks
When a sailor died at sea, the captain would draw a skull and crossbones on the ship’s log, and next to it would either write the name or initials of the deceased
From the diary of Mary Chipman Lawrence, who accompanied her husband Captain Samuel Lawrence on the whaler Addison, 1856-60. Her young daughter Minnie was with her as well, and on July 18th 1859 it was her birthday and they celebrated it on board:
This is Minnie’s birthday—eight years old. I told her a month ago that when it was her birthday, I would make a treat for her in the evening and she might invite all the officers to partake with her. So she has ever since been looking forward to it as a great event. Saturday I made preparation, and I was fortunate in doing so, for I suffered exceedingly Sunday night and for the greater part of this day with a gathering at the roots of my tooth. I was able to get up, however, and prepare the treat for her. We set the table and called the officers down about half-past 7 P.M. Minnie was so happy she hardly knew what to do with herself, and I think we all enjoyed it pretty well. The officers all united in saying that they had not sat down to such a table since they left home. The treat consisted of a plate of sister Celia’s fruitcake, two loaves of cupcake frosted, two plates of currant jelly tarts, and a dish of preserved pineapple, also hot coffee, good and strong, with plenty of milk and white sugar. After we had finished there was ample supply left, which was sent into the steerage for boatsteerers, etc.
Minnie arose this morning about four o’clock to look at her presents. She had a box of little notions, a book, and a pocket handkerchief from Mrs. Brayton; a pair of china vases from Mary White; two packages of paper dolls, a book, and a package of drawing cards from Helen Whitney; an ivory shuttle and a half dollar from her papa; and a bottle of cologne, a toothbrush, and a quarter of a dollar from her mamma. Not of much value, but they were all very pleasing to her.
First there was this 8 year old delightedly presiding over her birthday tea party with a bunch of whaling officers, now here’s Minnie instigating snowball fights on deck (and apparently being shown no quarter just cos she’s an 8 year old girl)
“April 7–The same weather as yesterday, very disagreeable, cold, snowy, and icy. Every hour or two during the day the decks have been covered with snow. Minnie enjoys it exceedingly in pelting with snowballs, though she always gets the worst of it. After dinner I went on deck during one of the squalls, and we all engaged in the amusement, both fore and aft.”
California and the UK are hogging all the great tallship museums, the Maritime Museum of San Diego is really one of the most exciting I've ever been to. They have nine vessels, four of which are either replica or historic sailing ships. I do not have pictures of all nine, but I hope what I do have is nice! It's a long post so i'm putting it under a readmore, but its mostly pictures dont worry :D
Star of India
The Star of India is perhaps the most noticeable vessel of the fleet, as it makes it seem like there is suddenly a barque driving down the road next to you.
Built in 1863 on the Isle of Man, the iron-hulled ship was originally christened Euterpe and sailed as a full-rigged cargo ship. In 1901, she was purchased by the Alaska Packers Association (the Balclutha in San Francisco also sailed for this company) converted to a barque, and sailed for them until 1923. The Star of India was laid up for many years after her retirement, until money was raised for her restoration. Today, the Star of India is the oldest active sailing ship in the world. She houses exhibits along with her restored original cabins, and when I was there she held an exhibit on sea monsters, as you'll see in the pictures. :)
According to my friend, this is sort of close to a liopleurodon skeleton, but made up to be more of a generic "sea beast" skeleton. Below is apparently an archelon, and not just Big Turtle.
San Salvador
The San Salvador is a replica of Portuguese "explorer" Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo's flagship galleon. Cabrillo was the first European to explore and describe (and also claim land) along the California coast in 1542. The Maritime Museum of San Diego built this replica of the full-rigged galleon between 2011 and 2015, which now hosts regular sightseeing tours around San Diego Bay as well as traveling up and down the California coast. You can also make a paper model of this ship, if you want.
Berkeley
The Berkeley is a propeller steam ferry, launched in 1898. She was the first propeller-driven steam ferry on the West Coast when she began regular service in the San Francisco Bay. She operated as a ferryboat for sixty years, and was removed from service in 1958. She was purchased by a ferryboat enthusiast, who used her as a gift shop for many years before selling her to the Maritime Museum in 1973. Today, the Berkeley serves as the main building of the museum, which is why the pictures are not quite as dramatic on the inside--it is entirely things like museum exhibits, a restaurant, and bathrooms.
I was unable to access the higher deck of the Berkeley when I attended, the reason for which can be noted in this last photo.
HMS Surprise
The ship currently called HMS Surprise was originally built in 1970 be a replica of a 18th-century Royal Navy frigate called HMS Rose. The Rose spent years as a sail training vessel before being sold to 20th Century Fox and undergoing extensive modification to become the set of the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, as Captain Aubrey's HMS Surprise. The Surprise has been with the Maritime Museum since 2004, but has also appeared in the film Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides. Today, she continues to be a detailed reconstruction of a Royal Navy frigate, and is filled with easter eggs from the film Master and Commander.
Little bonuses: the Californian and Medea.
I don't have enough photos of either of these for a full section.
The Medea was built in 1904 to be a luxury steam yacht, originally used for hunting trips and excursions around the Scottish coast. She was converted into a convoy escort vessel for use of the French Navy in World War I, and then served in the British Navy in World War II. In 1971, she was purchased and restored to her original use, before being donated to the Maritime Museum in 1973.
[Loud cannon noise warning!]
The Californian is the state tall ship of California. She was built in 1984 and launched during the Summer Olympic games of that year. She is a replica of a 19th-century revenue cutter, and carries passengers on both day sails and multi-day voyages.
In this video, she is firing her cannons as she returns from a day sail. She has already fired one cannon, setting off seemingly every car alarm in San Diego, and fires a second in the video.
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i hope y'all are liking these posts! they are fun to make but they take a while. i'm hoping to make the next one everyone's favorite lady washington, we'll see when i get around to it!!
Sew Sew Boys - Sailors who have a special talent in sewing
Jack of the Dust- Purser Mate
Jack Nasty Face- a low ranking sailor
Landlubber- a landsman who has no knowledge of the sea
Fireship - a prostitute with a venereal disease
Spouter - a Whaler
Blubber Hunter- a Whaler
Admiral of the Narrow Seas- a Sailor who threw up in the lap of a comrade
Vice Admiral of the Narrow Seas- a Sailor who has managed to pee on a mate’s shoes under the table.
Long Tailed Beggar- a Cat
Lubber- a lumbering, awkward fellow a stout, clumsy oaf who struggles with seamanship
Bone Polisher- a cat of nine tails
Bugs- a dirty slovenly sailor
Bully Boys- an American sailor
Jack Tar - a British sailor
Cook`s warrant - an operation that ends in amputation
The Croaker- a Surgeon
The Doctor - a cook
Davy Jones natural children - pirates, smugglers, scamps, scalawags and rovers
Hands- Crewmembers
Jimmy the One - the first Lieutenant in the Royal Navy
Johnny Hawbuck- an officer who dressed like a dandy at sea
Landshark - A Lawyer
Limey- another name for a british sailor
Jollies - A Royal Marine
Leatherneck - A Royal Marine
Devil Dog - A Royal Marine
Lobster - A Royal Marine
Old Salt - a veteran sailor
Manxman - a sailor from the Isle of Man
Nip cheese - the Purser
Adrift To be late
Anchor-faced Somebody who extremely enthusiastic about their career in the Royal Navy
Bezzy Best mate
Bone Stupid
Chad Valley A piece of equipment that is generally not very good, or the lesser quality of what is available on the market
Crabby Dirty
Heads Toilets
Matelot Sailor
Minging To be drunk
Necky To be particularly cheeky
Oppo A Royal Navy colleague
Pinged To be seen, typically when not wanting to be
Run ashore A night out – usually involving alcohol
Sad on To be unhappy or disappointed
Shippers An onboard colleague
Shitehawk A Seagull
Sprog A child
Thin out To leave or to end one’s day in work/duty
Tot A Rum measure
Wet A drink of something (tea usually)
Winger A mate
Whaling journal/ logbook of the Whaler Helen Augusta and Gazelle, 1856-1862
The first 22 pages contain entries for the bark Helen Augusta of Martha's Vineyard, for a voyage captained by Daniel F. Worth that commenced June 19, 1856. Entries for the Gazelle begin on page 23, for a voyage also captained by Daniel F. Worth that commenced August 25, 1862.
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