On Saturday, December 11, 2021, from 11am to 1pm, one of the Bay Area’s most beloved musical traditions celebrates its 40th year – from your own home! Long a monthly “landmark” aboard San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park’s historic ships, the multi-generational Chantey Sing gathering has been sidelined by COVID-19. But with help from the San Francisco Maritime Park Association, the Park’s non-profit partner, the sing has gone virtual and international!
Park volunteer and retired Park Ranger Peter Kasin will emcee, in the role of chantey V-Empresario: introducing singers and setting up the songs. Singing participants, who have signed up for performing slots in advance, will share their favorite songs, either accompanying themselves on traditional instruments, or a cappella.
The chantey sings became a park program in 1981, led by its founding Park Ranger Dave Nettell from 1981 to 1989 aboard the Schooner C.A. THAYER. and the square-rigged ship BALCLUTHA. Over the years, the sings popularity, led by Park Rangers, required them to be held in a larger venue, and, up until Covid, were held aboard the historic ferry EUREKA, garnering 100 to 200 people monthly.
Chanteys, the work songs of seafaring, dock labor, fishing and rowing, are one of the most compelling ways to celebrate our maritime heritage. International and multi-cultural in scope, they tell stories of life in long-ago History, but resonate today with tales of bravery, fear, international port of call, and of longing for a better life.
Visit https://maritime.org/events-home/chantey-sing/ for complete details, including links to an online signup sheet, instructions for lead singers, and some suggested virtual backgrounds (just in case your bunk isn’t completely ship-shape). You’ll need a good internet connection, and should be prepared to have fun!
Kasin’s rousing collection of Sheltered-In Chantey videos at https://go.nps.gov/shelteredchanteys is a great way to get your voice warmed up in advance. And if you’d like to learn more about this fascinating folk music tradition, the Park Maritime Research Center’sChantey Pathfinder has links to books, music and scholarly journal articles at https://go.nps.gov/chanteyinfo.
For more than 70 years, San Francisco Maritime National Park Association has worked to bring maritime history to life for visitors to the San Francisco Bay Area. The Association supports San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and independently operates the World War II submarine museum and memorial USS Pampanito. Connect at http://www.maritime.org, or follow @sfmaritime on Twitter, FB and Instagram.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes a fleet of historic ships, Visitor Center, Maritime Museum, Maritime Research Center, and the Aquatic Park Historic District. Visit the Park online at http://www.nps.gov/safr; follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ SFMaritimeNPS; and join us on FB @ SanFranciscoMaritimeNHP.
