After spending the day in Point Reyes we drove back into town around sun set to listen to sea shanties to be sung onboard the Balclutha. The Balclutha a.k.a The Star of Alaska is a massive cargo ship built about 1886 and was an active vessel well into the 20th century. Now it’s moored off the Hyde street dock where it’s maintained by the National Park Service.

We boarded about fifteen minutes before the singing was supposed to start and had some time to kill so we walked around and checked out the ship. I was wondering if we were going to miss the start of the singing. There was no mistaking when the real sea shanties began, the booming bass call-and-response voices could probably be heard up to shore.

I didn’t know what to expect, for some reason it never occurred to me before we were on board that I might be required to sing. I had a brief moment of panic not unlike the time we got last minute tickets to see Odetta at the Old Town School of Folk music and were seated front row, face to face with Odetta. Odetta insists on the sing along. With Odetta there were no observers -- only participants. Luckily, this was not the case with sea shanties. With the sea shanties it’s acceptable to listen intently without joining in. I was relieved.

Also it seemed like the sea shanty tradition is kept aflame in part by a park rangers. Which was a bonus since I’m always looking for way to infiltrate park ranger circles. They know where all the good taxidermy displays are plus they have an aura not unlike fire fighters in the sort of out-to-do-good-for-humanity/animal kingdom sort of thing. There were also a fair share of what looked to be Hell's Angels. Who I can only assume are less concerned with the welfare of humanity and more with shanty lyrics. But I did't really ask.

So it all began with the well known shanties, Blow the Man Down, Druken Sailor,etc. And since it was February there were quite a few African American shanties to be sung. Then a break, were we were offered warm drink from the galley. Then the lesser known shanties as well as non-maritime work songs and other shanty related song forms.

Right before the second break there was a preview of the bawdy shanties that come after 11pm when the wee sailors have journeyed for home. We left before that round, although tempted by the idea of really salty lyrics it was getting late and kind of cold on board. I guess I wasn’t built for the sailing life since getting chilly is my cue to head home.

So to sum up what I learned onboard the Balclutha:

• The rhythm of the shanty serves to synchronize the movements of the sailors as they toiled at repetitive tasks
  
• Shantymen weren't professionals, but a having good shanty skills would be to any sailors' advantage
  
• It's wise to say away from any lass named Sally Brown or any of the Brown sisters for that matter
  
• Given a choice most sailers would prefer to be drinking rum, if possible on-shore in the company of a rum drinking lass
  
• Shanties sung on-shore aren't really shanties but more a drinking song
  
• If someone shouts "South Australia" I hope you’ve got a comfortable seat because it’s got a few verses
  
• Sadly, sea shanties are not all necessarily about pirates or pirate booty
  
• Sea shanties are a lot of fun, especially onboard a ship where they had been sung for real at some point in time