capn'rob

Thank you, Dutch. I look forward to Bald Head Is.and Beaufort.So little time during events. But, the week between, that will be some fun!

Either wot Dutch sez or wun ugli nipper! On a serious note. As a kid, a man would come through our neighborhood fairly regular with a cart drawn by a pony. He was rigged to sharpen anything you'd have in that age of antiquity, the 50s. He did knives, scissors, scyths and lawnmowers. I only remember one neighbor with a power mower and he sharpened his own. If I recall, his various stones were on a treadle powered shaft. I would walk a while and watch him until he moved on from our neighborhood. We had a Fishmonger, Fruit and Veg. Man and the Rag Man. They all had horse or ass drawn carts. The Tinkers, although you could find them to do the work they did, no longer plyed their trade by cart. My father-in-law was one of the last of the men who could mend the copper leaders, gutters and flashing. A Tinker.

"I know what one is but what is a 'panoe'?" it's a "sleeper".

The phrase or command?

Huzzah x3!! Truly a Vouyage will worth the taking. The State of Missouri, yes, I think they rock! When forced by the courts to let the KKK adopt a highway, they had to do it but they didn't have to like it. Once the commintment was sealed, the State of Mo. named that Interstate the "Rosa Parks Highway"! Gotta' love it.

CANDY?

Thanks for the kind comments, Mr. Munk. We are talking about one of the oldest fisheries in the U.S. Europeans knew hook and line fishing but the Wampanaug taught the settlers to Fish Trap on the shore. Purse Seining is similar only in deep water. For some great photos of the net being set, hauled and repaired and some music and literature about the fishery, I suggest www.unknowntounges.com . This is a Cajun Band of friends of mine here in "Down East" North Carolina. Barbara Blake has written a very indepth study regarding the Menhaden Fishery, the Fishermen and the Fish. She and her husband Bryan have also written the music on the CD that this website will bring you to. A Purse Seine is a long, flat net with floats on the top and weights on the bottom. Along the bottom is a line called a "purse string". When a school of fish are sighted, two boats will approach and with each boat with an end, encircle the fish with the net. When the boats meet again the "Purse string" is drawn tight closing the bottom of the net, forming a Purse. The "Mother Ship", a vessel of about 70 or 80 feet will come alongside and the boats with a good sized gang in each boat, will begin to gather in the "bunt" or belly of the net making the purse ever smaller. When sized right a dip net is the used to scoop out the fish and put in the Fish Hold of the ship. In order to get the 15 or 20 men to pull the bunt at the same time a chant was used. Or as we say, a Shanty was sung. As I mentioned, Craig said he got this one from the Men of the Beaufort Fishery. That's the people the Barbara writes about. Fun fact. My old friend Craig has been camping next to my new friends, the Blakes at a music event for several years now. Another member of Forebitter, David Littlefield has written a Shanty about the Menhaden Fishery on L.I. Sound. I think the title is "Luce Bro.s", the name of the company that owned the boats. I say that Dave wrote a Shanty and not a "song" about the fishery because of one important detail. Several years ago a Capt. that I fished with on an Eastern Rigged Dragger was Capt. of a "Trap Boat" the f/v "Boucolo", Gallilee, RI. As the gang was bringing in the three sides of the net I began to sing out "Haul on the bunt boys and walk her around. Haul on the bunt boys and walk her on down."! The guys said the loved pulling to a tune and as it was used to coordinate work, It is a Shanty!

The Shantey is being sung by my friend Craig Edwards, of the group Forebitter. These were the four Shantymen doing the Sea Music Program at Mystic Seaport Museum. One day they had the idea to try a quartet and it worked! I think he learned it from the Menhaden Fishermen from Beaufort, NC and it was used to gather in the "Bunt" of the Purse Siene in the Menhaden Fishery. A "Gandy Dancer" was a Specific job upon the railroad. It was performed by large bands of men of a very low station that worked mainly for keep and drink. The job was to "Tramp" upon the gravel stone laid as ballast for the track to form it to a Road for the Rails. My Dad told me that during the Depression trucks would come from the railroad and gather up a gang of those willing to be a "Gandy Dancer". One summer my Dad worked for a contractor building a road. It was a section of the Post Road (route US1) on a grade fairly steep, outside New Haven, CT, our hometown. He was hired as a "Shaker". He held an Iron Drill Rod as a very large black man whalloped it with a sledge hammer. He said the man has a chant that kept them in synch. It was more a sing song than an actual song but I remember Dad said that hammer would go airborn to "Hard Labor" Whomp! twist the drill and brace. "Make a days pay" Whomp! twist the drill and brace. I'm so glad I learned these things from first hand experience. I was truly Blessed. My father taught me not just sailing but seamanship. History and sense of place by seeing as much of our surroundings as we could. The experiences he had in a very colorful and unique life.

Bath, N.C.? I wasn't aware of the event. If you can give a few more details perhaps I can be of some assistance. All the Best! Dutch

What about the "shin breaker" arraingement of Tiller/Wheel combination. It will move the whole rig further aft giving more space for a binnacle that can contain the instruments you need without having them visable until in use. Dutch "X" (his mark)