The Skipper's Woes

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

"The Skipper's Woes," by An Old Salt, is the next poem, included in Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571).  Due to its length, we haven't reprinted it here, but it is available online from very interesting sources:

• "The Skipper's Woes" at Papers past:  Available in English and Maori, the Papers Past site contains over three million pages of digitized New Zealand newspapers and periodicals
• Many versions of "The Skippers Woes" via Trove:  Gateway site for searching over three million Australian and online resources.

Tacking ship

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering a longer rhyme, "Tacking Ship" (also known as, "Tacking Ship Off Shore") by Walter Mitchell, included in Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571).  With this poem, the verses in the book become  more narrative.

Tacking Ship

The weather leech of the topsail shivers,

The bowlines strain, and the lee shrouds slacken,

The braces are taut, and the little boom quivers,

And the waves with the coming squall-cloud blacken.

Open one point on the weather bow

Is the lighthouse tall on Bonita Head,

There's a shade of doubt on the Captain's brow,

And the pilot watches the heaving lead.

I stand at the wheel and with eager eye 

To sea and to sky and to shore I gaze,

'Till the muttered order of "Full and by!"

Is suddenly changed to "Full for stays!"

The ship bends lower before the breeze,

As her broadside to the blast she lays,

And she swifter springs to the rising sea,

As the pilot calls "Stand by for stays!"

It is silence all as each in his place,

With the gathered coil in his hardened hands,

By tack and bowline, by sheet and brace,

Waiting the watchword impatient stands.

And the light on Bonita Head draws near,

As, trumpet winged the pilot's shout

From his post on the forecastle head I hear,

With the welcome call of "Ready! About!"

No time to spare!  It is touch and go;

And the Captain growls, "Down helm, hard down!"

As my weight on the whirling spokes I throw,

While the heavens grow black with the storm cloud's frown.

High over the knight heads flies the spray

As we meet the shock of the plunging sea,

And my shoulder stiff to the wheel I lay

As I answer, "Ay, ay, sir!  Hard alee!"

With the swerving leap of a startled steed,

The ship flies fast in the eye of the wind.

The dangerous shoals on the lee recede

And the headland white we have left behind.

The topsails flutter, the jibs collapse,

And belly and tug at the groaning cleats;

And spanker slats, and mainsail flaps;

And thunders the order, "Tacks and sheets!"

'Mid the rattle of blocks and the tramp of the crew,

Hisses the rain of the rushing squall;

The sails are aback from clew to clew,

And now is the moment for "Mainsail haul!"

And the heavy yards, like a baby's toy,

By fifty strong arms are swiftly swing;

She holds her sway and I look with joy

For the first white spray over the bulwarks flung.

"Let go, and haul!"  'Tis the last command,

And the head sails fill to the blast once more.

Astern and to leeward lies the land,

With its breakers white on the shingly shore.

What matters the reef, or the rain, or the squall?

I steady the helm for the open sea;

The first mate clamors, "Belay, there all!"

And the Captain's breath once more comes free.

And so off shore let the good ship fly,

Little care I how the gusts may blow,

In my fo'castle bunk in a jacket dry,

Eight bells have struck, and my watch is below.

Caution

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571).  This one seems applicable to land "vessels" as well!

Caution

Every steamer or ship in fog, mist or snow,

At a moderate speed is directed to go.

Anchor in Fog

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Anchor in Fog

When feeling your way, if you hear a ship's bell,

It's a vessel at anchor, you can easily tell,

Her bell in a fog is her only provision,

As signals to others to save a collision.

Sailing Vessel in Fog

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Sailing Vessel in Fog

When a ship is on the starboard tack, the fact you'll always know,

Because upon her fog horn a signal blast she'll blow;

And when upon the port tack the blast will then be two,

At frequent intervals the while the fog obscures the view;

And when you hear a triple blast, you'll know, that it would seem,

That the hidden craft is sailing with the wind abaft the beam.

Steamer in fog

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Steamer in fog

A steamer in fog is always bound,

If underway, her whistle to sound;

Not more than one minute must ever elapse,

Without sounding this signal to keep off mishaps.

Pilot boats

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Pilot Boats

Pilot boats engaged at night
Must only have a masthead light
And sometimes "flare ups" they must show
Their whereabouts to let others know.

Telegraph Ship

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Telegraph Ship
A telegraph ship whil'st working a cable,
To get out of the way is clearly not able,
So three lights she carries all through the whole night,
Two of them red and the middle one white;
Her signals by day with the night will compare,
She has two of them round and the middle one square.

At Anchor

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

At Anchor

A vessel which at anchor rides,

Hoists a light which shows all sides,

And for a mile is seen at night,

(If weather is fine) when burning bright.

Disabled Vessel

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Disabled Vessel
If a vessel's disabled and cannot well steer,
By break down of engines, or perhaps steering gear,
Two lights she will show from her foremast head,
One under the other, and both of them red.
By day two balls hoisted in this same position
Will explain to all vessels her helpless condition.

Overtaken

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Overtaken

If a vessel astern of you closes at night,

Over the taffrail you show her a light;

Or a "flare up" would do if you have it quite ready;

And mind you, don't yaw, and lookout you steer steady.

Sailing Vessels

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian) 

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Sailing Vessels

A sailing ship when under sail,
Or being towed must never fail
Her side lights to let others see,
As told by Regulation Three;,
And also, as we all should know,
A masthead light must never show.

Lights

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian) 

These week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt,  which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Lights

Side lights are colored green and red

They show for two miles right ahead,

And circle round they throw their light

Two points abaft the beam at night;

The masthead light five miles is seen,

Shows round same space as red and green.

A staemer under way at night

On foremast has a masthead light,

On starboard side a light of green,

While on the port the red is seen;

And if she takes a ship in tow,

Two masthead lights she then must show.