So Cool!

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Captain Jill

I’ve always loved dolphins and whales. I always wanted to be able to swim freely in the ocean with them. So far, I’ve never been this close to any out in the wild. I’m pretty sure it’s against ‘the rules’ to get so close to them or to touch them like these people were doing. Tho I have to admit, I would have a hard time holding back myself if they came so close. I think they’re beautiful and intelligent creatures. I hate to see how much we’ve destroyed their world, and yet they’re still mostly OK with us. 🙂

Mother Whale and Calf with people on whale watching trip. Very cool to see the Momma raising her Baby to show it the funny looking humans! Like a revers Zoo, were the people out to see the Whales, or was the Momma Whale teaching her baby about humans? The big momma Whale held her baby […]

via Mother Whale Lifting Her Baby to See Humans on Boat — 2012 The Awakening

Song of the Sea: Dream of the Drowned Submariner

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Captain Jill

I found this video when I was looking around last time. It’s another one by Mark Knopfler. I’m definitely going to have to buy some of his albums. 🙂 I really like this song. The music is quiet and peaceful, the lyrics are slow and wistful. I never really think of submariners too much. I guess it’s a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. I’ve always worked on top of the water, and it’s our main objective to stay up there. 😉

I have to give them their due. Their time at sea and under the water must be even harder than for those of us who sail above the water. The darkness, the pressure, the cramped quarters must really be rough.

I’m reading a book right now. “Dead Wake” about the last voyage of the Lusitania. Basically, a submarine sunk the ship and brought the USA into World War I. I’m not even halfway through it yet, but so far it’s pretty good. It’s given me a whole new appreciation for the submariners.

I hope you like the video as much as I do.

“Dream Of The Drowned Submariner”

We run along easy at periscope depth
Sun dappling through clear water
So went the dream of the drowned submariner
Far away from the slaughter

Your hair is a strawflower that sings in the sun
My darling, my beautiful daughter
So went the dream of the drowned submariner
Cast away on the water

From down in the vault, down in the grave
Reaching up to the light on the waves

So she did run to him over the grass
She fell in his arms and he caught her
So went the dream of the drowned submariner
Far away on the water
Far away on the water

Song of the Sea: The Ocean- Dar Williams

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Captain Jill

Here’s another for my Songs of the Sea series. Dar Williams is another of my favorite singer/songwriters. I love her stories, she can really sing too. I’ve got a couple of her CDs. I listen to them while I’m driving. 😉

The Ocean- Dar Williams

When I went to your town
On the wide open shore
Oh, I must confess, I was drawn
I was drawn to the ocean

I thought it spoke to me, It said, “Look at us
We’re not churches, not schools
Not skating ponds, swimming pools
And we have lost people, haven’t we though?”
Oh, that’s what the ocean can know of a body

And that’s when I came back to town
This town is a song about you
You don’t know how lucky you are
You don’t know how much I adore you
You are the welcoming, back from the ocean

I went back to the ocean today
With my books and my papers
I went to the rocks by the ocean
But the weather changed quickly

Oh, the ocean said, “What are you trying to find
I don’t care, I’m not kind
I’ve bludgeoned your sailors
I’ve spat out their keepsakes
Oh, it’s ashes to ashes, but always the ocean”

But the ocean can’t come to this town
This town is a song about you
You don’t know how lucky you are
You don’t know how much I adore you
You are the welcoming back from the ocean

And the ones that can know you so well
Are the ones, that can swallow you whole
I have a good and I have an evil
I thought the ocean, the ocean thought nothing
You are the welcoming back from the ocean

I didn’t go back today, I wanted to show you
That I was more land than water
I went to pick flowers, I brought them to you
Look at me, look at them, with their salt up the stem
But you frowned when I smiled and I tried to arrange them

You said, “Let me tell you the song of this town”
You said, “Everything closes at five
After that, well you just got the bars”

You don’t know how precious you are
Walking around with your little shoes dangling
I am the one who lives with the ocean
It’s where we came from, you know
And sometimes I just want to go back
After a day, we drink ’til we’re drowning

Walk to the ocean, wade in with our workboots
Wade in our workboots, try to finish the job
You don’t know how precious you are
I am the one who lives with the ocean
You don’t know how, I am the one
You don’t know how, I am the one

Songs of the Sea: Deep Wide Ocean

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Captain Jill

Here’s another song for my Songs of the Sea series. It’s a little different from the kind of thin I usually listen to. I only found it cause I was messing around online looking for music for the series. I’m not sure why, but I like it. 😉

Deep Wide Ocean- The Jezabels

What a simple want
To be free of god
A finger on your own creation

Queen told me to eat of kerosene
I must be real for the nation

Shortie, go by
Should you ever touch the sky
There’s no need to cry “deep wide ocean”
Any more now

You should know the score
Of my hidden war
I’m fighting on
But it’s all about you

I follow in the space you travelled
Your trail of heart unravels
I pass the clearing you made for when happiness was
Always

So carry the sign
Just a thimble in your eye
And if they should ask
How you knew me…

Oh Shortie, you won
Something deeper has begun
There’s no need to cry deep wide ocean

You’re toeing a line
Something real or something divine
There’s no need to choose
Can be both of them

To be right here, over there
Think and feel softest hair
You remind me of something yet to be lived
Oh, baby, I can’t complain
For I love to watch you play
No, I could not contain it for my eyes

And a story
Of many graces you told me
And forever I will love you
For all time

Here I go yo,
Rockin’ solo

I’ll be around if you’re low, though
Call me Anna, Poly-anna

Oneness

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Captain Jill

Today’s prompt for the Just Jot It January challenge is: oneness.

As soon as I saw it, I thought of this song…

I’ve always loved reggae music and Jimmy Cliff is one of my favorite artists. This video is not the best, but I like how he gets all the people dancing together.

I like the words, the music and the message too. I do think people are all the same (on a basic level). I remember coming back from high school after traveling the world on the sailing ships. People got so mad at me when I would say that (especially about the USSR).

But I still think it’s true. I think there is a connection, I do believe everything in this world is connected in some way. I don’t have any idea how, and not in any religious way, but I can see it works that way on this planet. Woo-woo, a little new- agey, but more on the level of all the atoms and molecules being recycled over and over again. Karma. Thoughts and emotions. Ecology. Yeah, all that kind of stuff. 😉

“We All Are One”

Mmm…mmm…mmm….
Yeah
Mmm…hmm…mmm….oh…

We all are one, we are the same person
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (Oh, yeah)
We all are one, same universal world
I’ll be you, you’ll be me

No matter where we are born,
We are human beings
The same chemistry
Where emotions and feelings
All corresponding in love
Compatible

You can’t get around it,
No matter how hard you try
You better believe it
And if you should find out
That you are no different than I
Reply

We all are one (We all),
We are the same person (Same person)
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (I’ll be me, you’ll be you)
We all are one (We all), same universal world
I’ll be you, you’ll be me

The only difference I can see
Is in the conscience
And the shade of our skin
Doesn’t matter, we laugh, we chatter
We smile, we all live for

And the feelings that make
All those faces always renew
So true, so true
And would you believe that I have
All those same feelings too
The same as you

We all are one, we are the same person
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (I’ll be me, you’ll be you)
We all are one (We all), same universal world
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (Mmm, hmm, mmm, hmm)

We all are one (We all),
We are the same person (Same person)
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (I’ll be me, you’ll be you)
We all are one (We all), same universal world
I’ll be you, you’ll be me

Look at the children, they’re having fun
With no regards to why
They all look different but deep inside
Their feelings of love they don’t hide, they don’t hide
They don’t hide, they don’t hide

We all are one, we are the same person
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (Oh, yeah)
We all are one, same universal world
I’ll be you, you’ll be me

We all are one (We all),
We are the same person (The same person)
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (No matter where you go)
We all are one (We all),
Same universal (Same person)
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (Oh, yeah)

We all are one (You know, I know, we all know),
We are the same person (Oh, yeah)
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (Oh, yeah)
We all are one (Emotions and feelings),
Same universal (All corresponding to love)
I’ll be you, you’ll be me (Oh…oh…oh…)

We all are one, we are the same person

If you want to check out some more of his music, check out this link.

Songs of the Sea: Oceans

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Captain Jill

Here’s a good song for a Sunday. Another one of my Songs of the Sea series. I’m an atheist, so I don’t go along with all the religious stuff in this song. I’ll start believing in god if/when I see some real evidence. I don’t have faith, will never have faith, I want PROOF. Personally I think religion is one of the worst things people have ever invented and we’d all be a lot better off without it. But the music and the singing is very beautiful anyway.

Religion can ‘inspire’ a lot of people.

Just like so many churches are stunningly beautiful. They took the best efforts of thousands of men over decades to build. They cost millions of dollars.

All for nothing really. An invisible, (almost certainly imaginary), being. All that artwork is still beautiful, even if it was done for nothing but hope and a promise.

Personally, I think it’s really sad. That so much effort is spent on such things, when it could have been used to make things so much better for real people, right here and now. People spend so much effort fixing things for ‘the next life’ instead of fixing THIS one. I think it’s sad.

Even so, I still do appreciate the beauty that’s created.

“Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

[6x]
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

Oh, Jesus, you’re my God!

I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

And this is also another post in the Just Jot It January challenge.

Songs of the Sea: El Marinero y La Sirena

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Captain Jill

I’ve been reading Texas Music magazine the last couple of days and saw an article about Patricia Vonne. She sounded like someone I just had to learn more about so I looked her up on youtube and found the perfect video for my Songs of the Sea series. 🙂

This song about the sailor and the mermaid is very pretty. Patricia has a beautiful voice and I like the Spanish style music. The guitar and maracas are soothing, but I think this would also make a good song to dance to. I love Spanish/Latin music and dancing! Tango, flamenco, salsa, cumbia, conjunto, rumba, merengue, even mariachi!

I love it all! I only wish I could dance!! (I suck at dancing, I’m clumsy as hell.) 🙁

The song’s story is nice too (tho I don’t understand the Spanish well enough really- I had to look up the translation). The sailor is saved from the shark by the mermaid and they fall in love. Simple love story, but the artwork makes it different and more interesting.

El Marinero y La Sirena

(*Patricia Vonne / Michael Martin)
Fue forzado a caminar la tabla*
Se zambullo en el agua helada
Clavado debajo del galeon español
Sintio un golpe brutal
Descendiendo en la oscuridad
Sintio un abrazo fuerte
De dedos tenaces al girar
Con un beso de la vida
El marinero y la sirena
Pertenecen al mar tan negro
Oyen el llanto del destino
Un amor ardiente y herido
El esta destinado a navegar sobre el mar
Espumoso del amor
Y ella a nadar leguas abajo
Su corazon naufragado nunca podra saber
La allegria de nadar con su amor verdadero
Su amor es un tesoro
Que brilla mas puro que el oro
Cuando veas caer una estrella mi hechicera
Recuerdame mi sirena
Aunque perteneces al mar ven conmigo
Sere tu refugio con permiso
En mi dolor hay esperanza mi marinero
Que el amor no es fatal solo sincero
Oye el llanto del destino mi carino
Desde el fondo del mar donde vivo

The Mariner and the Mermaid (English translation)

He was forced to walk the plank
plunging into the icy waters
nailed beneath the Spanish galleon
He felt a crushing blow
descending into the darkness
he felt a warm embrace of tenacious fingers
spinning to the surface with a kiss of life
the sailor & the mermaid
belong to the sea
hear the cry of destiny
of an ardent wounded love
he is destined to sail
above love’s foamy sea
And she, to swim leagues below
his shipwrecked heart can never know
the joy of swimming w/ his true love
their love is a treasure that shines
brighter than gold
when you see a falling star, my enchantress
remember me, my little mermaid
even though you belong to the sea, come with me
I will be your refuge
in my sorrow there is hope, my sailor
that love is not fatal but sincere
Listen to the cry of destiny
at the bottom of the sea where I live

Today’s post for Just Jot It January. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Dreamboat Anne

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Captain Jill

Here’s another oldie but goodie for my Songs of the Sea series. Its “Dreamboat Annie” by Heart. I remember singing along with this when I was going into high school. I still think it’s a beautiful song 🙂

“Dreamboat Annie”

Heading out this morning into the sun
Riding on the diamond waves, little darlin’ one

Warm wind caress her
Her lover it seems
Oh, Annie
Dreamboat Annie my little ship of dreams

Going down the city sidewalk alone in the crowd
No one knows the lonely one whose head’s in the clouds

Sad faces painted over with those magazine smiles
Heading out to somewhere won’t be back for a while

Wild Wednesday: Sea Angels

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Captain Jill

It’s been a (long) while since I’ve done one of these Wild Wednesday posts (and yeah, I’m late).

I was googling around with a little spare time and came across these ‘cute’ lil’ buggers. Sea Angels.

Yeah, they look sweet and innocent. Fluttering around the ocean. Their translucent bodies and ‘wings’ might make them seem like the angels they’re named after.

But they’re really just snails. Snails without shells. Hunting snails. Carnivorous snails. Sneaky snails. Sexy snails (they’re ‘simultaneous hermaphrodites’ which means they can reproduce any time- they don’t actually need a partner to do it tho). According to Joseph over on his very interesting blog Real Monstrosities, they’re really little devils. 😉

It’s a good thing they’re all pretty small, the largest of them only grow to a couple of inches long. I’ve never seen them (at least not that I know of). Have you?

Hayloft- Nickel Creek

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Captain Jill

This one has really been sticking in my mind lately. I really like a lot of their music. The mandolin and fiddle are fantastic!

Check it out. Let me know how you like it. 🙂

Lucinda Williams: Essence

Posted on November 14, 2015 by Captain Jill

Something a little different. It’s not a ‘Song of the Sea”, but just plain, good music. I love all different kinds of music: blues, bluegrass, reggae, old rock and roll, classical, alternative country, pretty much everything except rap, heavy metal and opera.

I especially like music that tells a story with the lyrics. I love singers who can write a good song that means something.

Lucinda Williams is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. This whole album is great. I love this song!

Songs of the Sea: If I Had a Boat

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Captain Jill

Here’s a good one by Lyle Lovett. I hope you like it. 🙂

Taxman

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Captain Jill

Gotta go see the accountant and pay the taxman today (again). Ugh!!!

I got an extension again, so now have until October 15 to deal with the mess instead of getting it all over with in April like most people do.

One more reason to get off my ass and figure out HOW to move out of here! If I can move, the first $100,000 or so of earned income will be tax free. Of course, I have no idea how I would ever earn anywhere close to that amount outside of the Gulf of Mexico, but that’s beside the point!

If I don’t have to give up close to 50% of my income in taxes, that means I can easily afford to live on 50% less income. And, I can probably avoid getting ripped off for another $10-15,000 in the obamascam! I’m SURE there are many places around the world where I could manage to live nicely on 50% of my income.

Now, the issue is: how do I come up with ANY income if I’m not working in the Gulf of Mexico?

Great song by the Beatles! Who would’ve thought anyone could make a great song about taxes? Now, just think about the lyrics for a minute. 🙁

Taxman

The Beatles

Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you, nineteen for me
Cos I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all
Cos I’m the taxman, yeah I’m the taxman

If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street
If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat
If you get too cold I’ll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet

Taxman!
Cos I’m the taxman, yeah I’m the taxman

Don’t ask me what I want it for (Aahh Mr. Wilson)
If you don’t want to pay some more (Aahh Mr. Heath)
Cos I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

Now my advice for those who die
Declare the pennies on your eyes
Cos I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

And you’re working for no one but me
Taxman!

And just in case that’s not enough to get you going, here’s an even better one from Stefan Molyneux on Freedomain Radio! Warning: some ‘bad’ language, if that kind of thing bothers you, try your best to ignore it, this guy is worth listening to!!

https://youtu.be/3TpIDX49b_A

For some reason, I can’t get the video to open up here (and the editor won’t let me fix the spacing anymore either!!). But please take a look at it through the link. I know a lot of you don’t like my politics, but I really do think if more people took the time to really think through what we’re dealing with, things would change for the better. Yes, better for ALL of us!

Songs of the Sea: Southern Cross

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Captain Jill

I’ve been in Houston the last couple of days at the DP Conference. I don’t know why, but maybe it’s because I might not have a boat to go back to for a while, but I was really thinking about sailing tonight. Jimmy Buffett was always one of my favorite songwriters and this is a good song (Crosby, Stills & Nash did it first).

I really wish I could just chuck it all and go sail around the world!!!!!

First Glowing Turtle Discovered!

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Captain Jill

This glowing green hawksbill turtle was discovered by a National Geographic ‘Emerging Explorer’ while filming coral off the Solomon Islands.

I worked out of Honiara on a tuna boat for a while. I always wanted to stay over for a while and do some SCUBA diving. It’s supposed to be fantastic. I did have some other adventures there, but never did get to go diving. 🙁

Honiaria, Solomon Islands

This turtle is the first (naturally occurring) biofluorescent reptile ever discovered. They have found plenty of bioluminescent creatures before. Mostly corals, fish, jellyfish. They’ve even found some biofluorescent ones before (mostly fish).

The scientists are excited to find a bioluminescent reptile and so am I! I always thought turtles were cool. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Shark in the Water

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Captain Jill

I’ve really been falling behind with posts in my ‘Songs of the Sea’ series. Sorry to have left you all hanging, but on this vessel I just haven’t had the internet access I need to keep up with my blog or anything else.

I found this video in my drafts tonight, just trying to see if I could find something quick to post. I hope you like it. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Weird Fishes

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Captain Jill

Here’s another for my Songs of the Sea series. I’m not really sure what to say about this one. Is it electronica? It’s not the kind of thing I usually listen to, but I really liked the video. Some of those guys really looked like they were getting into the groove. 😉

Let me know what you think. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Pirate Jenny

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Captain Jill

Here’s another Song of the Sea. More jazzy than most. It’s a real classic!

Nina Simone – Pirate Jenny Lyrics

You people can watch while I’m scrubbing these floors
And I’m scrubbin’ the floors while you’re gawking
Maybe once ya tip me and it makes ya feel swell
In this crummy Southern town
In this crummy old hotel
But you’ll never guess to who you’re talkin’.
No. You couldn’t ever guess to who you’re talkin’.Then one night there’s a scream in the night
And you’ll wonder who could that have been
And you see me kinda grinnin’ while I’m scrubbin’
And you say, “What’s she got to grin?”
I’ll tell you.There’s a ship
The Black Freighter
With a skull on its masthead
Will be coming in

You gentlemen can say, “Hey gal, finish them floors!
Get upstairs! What’s wrong with you! Earn your keep here!
You toss me your tips
And look out to the ships
But I’m counting your heads
As I’m making the beds
Cuz there’s nobody gonna sleep here, honey
Nobody
Nobody!

Then one night there’s a scream in the night
And you say, “Who’s that kicking up a row?”
And ya see me kinda starin’ out the winda
And you say, “What’s she got to stare at now?”
I’ll tell ya.

There’s a ship
The Black Freighter
Turns around in the harbor
Shootin’ guns from her bow

Now
You gentlemen can wipe off that smile off your face
Cause every building in town is a flat one
This whole frickin’ place will be down to the ground
Only this cheap hotel standing up safe and sound
And you yell, “Why do they spare that one?”
Yes.
That’s what you say.
“Why do they spare that one?”

All the night through, through the noise and to-do
You wonder who is that person that lives up there?
And you see me stepping out in the morning
Looking nice with a ribbon in my hair

And the ship
The Black Freighter
Runs a flag up its masthead
And a cheer rings the air

By noontime the dock
Is a-swarmin’ with men
Comin’ out from the ghostly freighter
They move in the shadows
Where no one can see
And they’re chainin’ up people
And they’re bringin’ em to me
Askin’ me,
“Kill them NOW, or LATER?”
Askin’ ME!
“Kill them now, or later?”

Noon by the clock
And so still by the dock
You can hear a foghorn miles away
And in that quiet of death
I’ll say, “Right now.
Right now!”

Then they’ll pile up the bodies
And I’ll say,
“That’ll learn ya!”

And the ship
The Black Freighter
Disappears out to sea
And
On
It
Is
Me

Songs of the Sea: Pirate Chantey

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Captain Jill

Here’s another little sea chantey to add to your musical collection. It’s done by Key & Peele, 2 funny guys who used to be on MADtv (which I loved). I really used to love MAD magazine when I was a kid, but the ones they’re coming out with now are nowhere near as funny as they used to be (and no, it’s not just because I’m getting older!).

This sketch somehow manages to be both a little risque’ and PC at the same time. 😉

Pirate Chantey– Key & Peele

“Thar once was a lass so fine,
She was drunk on Barleywine,
I’d been (out) to sea for a month or three,
I knew I could make her mine.
But the lass was past consent,
So it was off with her we went,
And we threw her in bed and we rested her head,
And we left cuz that’s what Gentlemen do…

A woman has a right to a drink or two,
Without worryin’ about what you will do!
We say Yo-HO but we don’t say ‘ho,’
Cuz ‘ho’ is disrespectful, yo.

Thar once was a girl from Leeds,
Who I heard was good on her knees,
So I docked my ship for an overnight trip,
To take care of all of my needs.
She was fine as the tales did tell,
And my mast began to swell,
So I laid her down and I raised her gown,
And performed cunnilingus for an hour or so.

Always take care of yer lady fair,
Cuz they deserve as much attention down there!
We say Yo-HO but we don’t say ‘ho,’
Cuz ‘ho’ is disrespectful, yo.

I once had a woman so fair,
Whose whom contained my heir,
With a son by my side, the seas we’d ride,
The child she would bear.
But my woman she was no fool,
She was working her way through school,
So I did support when she chose to abort,
Because it’s her body and therefor her choice.

No we don’t say ‘booty’ ‘less we talkin’ ’bout gold,
and we don’t look at chests ‘less they’s treasure-holds!
With a hat and a feather and a cutlass on our hip,
We don’t say ‘she’ when we’re talking ’bout a ship!
We don’t say ‘bitch’ and we don’t say ‘whore,’
Cuz that language leads to things like body dysmorphia.

Thar was a lady with a golden eye,
And the doctor said she would die,
So she emptied her purse to lift the curse,
And prayed to stay alive.
She awoke the very next day,
And in her grave she lay,
But the scariest part of the story from the start,
Is I bet you assumed the doctor was a man.

Women are doctors too,
And for a fraction of the doubloons!
We say Yo-HO but we don’t say ‘ho,’
Cuz ‘ho’ is disrespectful, yo.

Thar was a slut with tits to here, and an ass that- (gunshot. he is dead and that is good.)

Cuz it’s Yo-HO but we don’t say ‘ho,’
Cuz ‘ho’ is disrespectful, yo.”

Songs of the Sea: Fins

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Captain Jill

In honor of Shark Week, Jimmy Buffett puts on a great show with ‘Fins’. Just check out those big screens in the background. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Ode to a Sailor

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Captain Jill

I haven’t been posting this series for the last couple of weeks. It’s hard to find time to look around for the music videos while I’m offshore. The internet is usually not the best, we don’t have enough bandwidth and they don’t want us looking at videos. I found this one in my stored posts. It’s a bit different from the kind of stuff I usually listen to. Let me know how you like it. 🙂

Ode to a Sailor- Rachel Sage

I’ve been sitting on the ground
Much to everyone’s surprise
People say I’m getting dirty
But I would rather kiss the soil
Than be crippled by disguise
Better down to earth than pretty

In the ash I see passion
In the dust I see trust
I will turn this ship around
And if everything crashes
I will burn if I must
I will turn this ship around

I’ve been swimming in your sky
Waiting for the tide to turn
To something beautiful and true
And you’ve been swallowing my life
From a distance you have earned
Every right to know I feel you.

In the ash I see passion
In the dust I see trust
I will turn this ship around
Do you think I’m old fashioned
‘Cause I miss you this much
I will turn this ship around

I’ve been buried in the sand
Waiting for the sun to beat
Down upon my back like lava
And I’ve been hoping for your hands
To caress my soul to sleep
Fill me up with your kabbalah

In the ash I see passion
In the dust I see trust
I will turn this ship around
And if everything crashes
I will burn if I must
I will turn this ship around

Daily Prompt: Toy Story- Sea Snark

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Captain Jill

Daily Prompt:Toy Story– What was your favorite plaything as a child? Do you see any connection between your life now, and your favorite childhood toy?

I’m not sure if my sea snark qualifies as a toy but playing with it (sailing) was my favorite thing to do while I was growing up (other than reading).

I used to take my little sailboat our almost every day, usually after school. Sometimes, I would even sail it TO school 🙂

Made out of Styrofoam, it was indestructible. Unlike the Titanic, it was actually unsinkable 🙂 We DID test that quite regularly 😉

I had SO much fun with that little boat. 🙂 I would go by myself. I would take out my friends. My brother would run circles around me with his outboard powered dingy, but I didn’t care. I always loved just sailing. Letting the wind drive me where I wanted to go. It was so engaging, so peaceful, so enjoyable. I STILL love sailing and go out every chance I can.

As a kid, I never would have imagined that I would wind up ‘sailing’ for a living (that’s what we call shipping out- ‘sailing’). I was on track to be a doctor back then. My grandparents were both pharmacists. My fathers mother was one of the first female pharmacists in the state of NY 🙂 (I definitely take after her) 😉 I made straight A’s in school and I did love studying all my subjects in class, especially math and science.

What happened was: I got sick and tired of taking the same classes over and over again in school. For example, I had been taking algebra since at least 5th grade. I always made straight A’s. I just couldn’t see the point of taking it AGAIN in 9th grade.

So, I started skipping those classes that I’d already taken. I was still making good grades. I could still keep up with the work. After all, I HAD already taken those classes (more than once). I’ll never understand why parents put up with the school systems dumbing down their kids so much!

Eventually, my family got tired of hearing about my transgressions from the school district. My grandmother decided I needed to go to a boarding school, to keep me from skipping 😉 Well, I give her credit. She tried. She really did.

Along with my Aunt Helen, my grandmother and I went on a road trip from Freeport NY, up through Niagara Falls (loved the Maid of the Mist) into Canada. We came back down through the Detroit area (went to a concert there- grandma wore earplugs 🙂 ). Visited family friends near Chicago. Stopped at a dozen fancy schools before we made it back to NY.

I have to admit, I was a total BITCH the entire trip. I didn’t want to go to any fancy-schmantzy rich kid boarding school! I would never fit in. I liked my life the way it was. I loved my town where I grew up and I could spend my days hanging out with my friends on the beach. Sailing, swimming, fishing, even sometimes jumping off the bridge to let the current carry me out to the Gulf so I could swim back in 😉

Yeah, I was also hanging out at the amusement parlor and the pool halls, sometimes the bars 😉 I was drinking and other things I wasn’t supposed to be doing.

It was really a lucky stroke of fate what happened when my grandmother got me back to her place in Freeport. She was so fed up with me after that search for an acceptable school for both me and her, she took me to the library and threw the book at me. Literally! She told me that it was a book listing ALL the accredited schools in the country and if I could find one in there that I liked, I could go there.

The book landed on a table in front of me. Opened to a page with a picture of a square-rigged ship in full sail. I was hooked! I grabbed that book and started reading that thing like my life depended on it (turned out it really did in a way).

The book gave details: the Oceanics School (http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19720827&id=nN1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5eADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6581,6541976). Based in New York City, the school would charter these large traditional sailing ships for months long cruises with their students aboard. The ship sailed around the world and the students learned to operate the ship. They held classes on navigation, seamanship, oceanography, cultural studies and languages of all the countries the ship visited.

I was so excited. I told my grandmother “that’s it!”. That’s the one I want to go to!! She was aghast!! She told me “no way”. “No way are you going to ruin your life with those damn boats like your father did!!” Up til he bought his dream boat, the “Island Girl”, my father was an engineer. A ‘respectable’ professional career man. My grandmother would never forgive the Island Girl for my fathers decision to quit the corporate world.

When I got home and told my dad about the Oceanics school, he was almost as happy about it as I was. He said “you’re going”, and “while we’re at it, we’ll send your brother too”! “You can’t skip school when you’re on a boat in the middle of the ocean” 😉 So, soon enough my brother and I were off to sail around the world. We had some absolutely fantastic adventures sailing the 3- masted schooner Ariadne from Athens to Martinique!

That trip changed my life. I returned without my brother to sail the Ariadne again from Martinique back across the Atlantic. I had some incredible experiences with some wonderful people. It DID change my life.

I will be forever grateful to the Gallaghers (especially Stephanie) who took a chance on me and then helped me SO much. Even after I graduated from the Oceanics, Stephanie was instrumental in getting me set up in the Ocean Marine Technology program in Texas that got me started on the way to earning my license.

Because of the chance to go to the Oceanics, I am STILL sailing. Almost 35 years later. 🙂 I recently upgraded to Master Any Gross Tons and can sail pretty much any ship on the ocean. I still love the traditional sailing ships best but there just aren’t enough of them around to make a living on. Too bad 🙁

So, yeah, you could say my favorite plaything when I was young is still my favorite plaything now. 🙂

Here are a couple of great links. The first one is by Tim Harris of the ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl which he sailed on as a cadet with the Oceanics in the early 70s. The next one is of the same ship in a storm. The last is a link to the ship itself, in case you’re interested in sailing her 😉

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iokDVlHybtE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_YWgRBmVtY

www.lehmkuhl.no

PS- the featured photo is one I took at the Maritime Day celebration in Galveston last month. The ship in the background is one of the ones I sailed as captain on (Ensco 8500 series). I started with the sea snarks and worked my way up to those!

PPS- I forgot to add that I posted this to Terri Webster Schrandt’s Leisure Link the other day. She has a cool blog, this is the first time I’ve seen the leisure link. I’ve seen these blog ‘parties’ before but still not sure I’ve got the hang of it. Check it out over there and join in. 🙂

Too Busy

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Captain Jill

I’ve been pretty busy out here the last few days. Too busy to spend much time online, so haven’t been able to post.

I was busy with work.The big project was to move the rig. We finished up one well and moved the rig over to start another one. You wouldn’t believe the amount of paperwork we have to complete in order to move this ship a couple of miles!

Checklists, checklists and more checklists! It really gets crazy.

Once we get the paperwork done so we can depart, we immediately start on the paperwork so we can arrive. We didn’t actually finish the arrival paperwork until halfway through the next day.

I still haven’t caught up with everything and probably won’t any time soon. We’re only drilling a ‘tophole’ at this location. A tophole is where the drillers just start the process of drilling a well, they won’t try to drill all the way down to the oil, they only drill down a short distance. They ‘spud in’.

I still don’t know much about what they do on the drilling side here, but here’s a simple explanation of what I think is going on. They basically just stab a big pipe (casing) down into the mud, jet it down to a certain depth, run some more pipe down inside that and then cement it up. They’ll set a well head on it that sticks up from the sea floor a few meters when they’re finished. Then somebody can come back later, stick a BOP (blow out preventer) on the well head, drill through all the cement, and actually drill down through the rocks to the target reservoir (and hopefully find some oil).

We’ll be going through the whole process again in just a couple more days when we’re due to move on to the next one. Oh joy. 🙁

Ships Rigs

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Captain Jill

I got some feedback that my recent posts on square riggers have been appreciated. 🙂 I think some people would like to learn more about the different types of sailing ships, so I’ll go ahead and try to explain at least a few of the more common types around. I’ll start out with the ‘ship’ rig and if you like it I’ll continue on with some of the others. 🙂

There aren’t many of ANY type of sailing ships any more. It’s hard for them to compete when everyone wants immediate gratification now a days. There are still a few around, they’re mostly being used for educational purposes (which they are fantastic for), or for cruise vacations. I do know of a couple that are trying to make a go of sail cargo operations again, but they’re in a tough spot and trying to find a niche market. Here’s a link to a post I wrote a while ago, and here’s another link to a more recent list by Sailing Dog.

The main way to categorize sailing vessels is whether they’re rigged fore-and-aft (the sail is rigged along the centerline of the vessel) or square rigged (the sail is rigged to lie across the centerline of the vessel). A sailing “ship” is one with at least 3 masts, and all masts are rigged with square sails. They will probably also have fore-and-aft sails set between the masts and on the bow.

A full rigged ship is a beautiful sight to see. They were the largest and some of the fastest ships around during the age of sail. Check out this video for a little history of some of the ships of the Flying P Line. The Peking is still afloat and is lying at the South Street Seaport in New York City. I spent a few hours exploring there a while back. Too bad she’s no longer sailing. 🙁

The Sorlandet is an example of one of these ships that is still sailing about. She’s used as a sail training vessel and it’s possible to get aboard if you want to spend the time (and money) to learn. 🙂

The Royal Clipper is one of a few newbuilt vessels. She was built in modern times as a cruise vessel for Star Clippers. You can sign on and take a cruise any time you want. I’m planning to do it myself soon.

So, that should give you a pretty good idea of what a sailing “ship” is. If you like this kind of thing, please check out the links and some of the other websites they lead to. Let me know what you think. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Farewell Shanty

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Captain Jill

My recent post (re-blogged from Indian Rocks Bridge) about climbing aloft on the Sorlandet got me thinking of those beautiful square riggers. I found this video yesterday. I love the pictures! Such beautiful ships!! It’s a traditional song but has recently been ‘discovered’ (at least according to some of the musical forums). Here’s a shanty to listen to the next time you’re getting underway. 😉

Farewell Shanty

It’s time to go now Haul away your anchor (x2) ‘Tis our sailing time

Get some sail upon her Haul away your halyards (x2) ‘Tis our sailing time

Get her on her course now Haul away your foresheets (x2) ‘Tis our sailing time

Waves are surging under Haul away down-channel (x2) On the evening tide

When my days are over Haul away for Heaven (x2) God be by my side (x2)

PS- the Statsraad Lehmkuhl is another of the ships the Oceanics School chartered for our sailtraining. I missed this one too. 🙁 I got to sail the Ariadne and the brigantine Phoenix. They were all beautiful ships but not quite the same experience as to sail a full rigged ship.

Maybe I’ll do a couple of posts explaining the different ship types (sail plans). Would you like that? In the meantime, here’s a link to a site one of my classmates put online about our school. If you look closely, you can see me in some of the photos. Yeah, I still look pretty much the same. 🙂

Songs of the Sea: Shark Attack

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Captain Jill

I thought this was about sharks, you know, the kind that swim in the sea. But actually, it’s about a different kind of shark. The kind that lives on land. The kind we REALLY need to worry about.

I never heard this group (Wailing Souls) before, but I love this song. I really love reggae music anyway, and this song has lyrics worth paying attention to. The video reminded me of a great book I read a few years ago.

It’s called Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins. Anyone who’s interested in what’s going on in the world today will get a real education if they read it. I thought it was a great book and should be taught in all our schools (but of course that will NEVER happen!).

I know most of you absolutely HATE it when I start going off on politics and my philosophy of liberty and freedom for all. But I’m hoping it’s a short enough video you might just take a look.

Let me know what you think. Of the music. And the video (the political one- the one by Perkins!) 😉

Shark Attack- Wailing Soul

When you hear this ya one Wailing Soul you know fe true
yeah man
When you hear this ya one ya Wailing Soul you no fe joke (repeat)

Better stop this cultural diffusion
Spreading fear & confusion
Playing cloak & dagger wars
Losing what you fighting for