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#16
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I was on a 120 foot old time sailing ship once. Me and three friends had played Irish music at various fairs in the previous few years and one summer we were all in Seattle and put a wee Irish boond together and played the streets and a few pubs for fun.
The we hit on the idea of going to the Pt. Townsend Wooden Boat Show to see what kind of fun we could have. We only made enough for beer and meals but had a good time. One afternoon our fiddle player ran up and said, "C'mon on! I got us a gig playing on this wooden sailing ship. Free food and free ride!" So off we went. Aye, it was graaaannnddd. We did a few Irish toons and one acapela number -- I had the old Stan Rogers' song Barrett's Privateers memorized and the other guys would join in on the refrains (in bold), and the chorus: BARRETT'S PRIVATEERS by Stan Rogers Oh, the year was 1778, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! A letter of marque come from the king, To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen, CHORUS: God damn them all! I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns-shed no tears Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers. Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! For twenty brave men all fishermen who would make for him the Antelope's crew (chorus) The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! She'd a list to the port and and her sails in rags And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags (chorus) On the King's birthday we put to sea, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! We were 91 days to Montego Bay Pumping like madmen all the way (chorus) On the 96th day we sailed again, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight With our cracked four pounders we made to fight (chorus) The Yankee lay low down with gold, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! She was broad and fat and loose in the stays But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days (chorus) Then at length we stood two cables away, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! Our cracked four pounders made an awful din But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in (chorus) The Antelope shook and pitched on her side, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs And the Maintruck carried off both me legs (chorus) So here I lay in my 23rd year, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW! It's been 6 years since we sailed away And I just made Halifax yesterday (chorus)
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
#17
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I went on board a replica of Columbus's "Nina" a few years back when it made a stop in the Bay Area. I think it was this one:
http://www.thenina.com/ It was impressive but I was struck by how small it was. The other two ships weren't much bigger and I'm thinking, three ships like this one changed the course of history?
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
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