the old sailor and his wife. – Wagon Wheel Blog

The old sailor and his wife. By Robert Bryan.

1. As you walk across the gangplank

The boatswains pipes’ you on.

You’ll cross the forward quarterdeck

As you board our happy home.

2. The old salt will greet you.

With a wide and happy smile

Sign your name in the log

Come and stay awhile!

3. The smell of bacon cooking

With coffee black and hot

Biscuits, gravy and hardtack too

Make a happy lot.

4. we’ll gather round the scuttle bucket

And talk of days gone by

When sails were full and winds were strong

Sea gulls filled the sky.

5. of storms at sea while billows roared

Sipp’en water fore and aft

It took three men to hold the helm

We fought the oceans blast.

6. Battles at Sea, the cannons thundered

Fire roared and Sabers clashed

It took brave men to hold the line

Defending our nations flag

7. The restless Sea and changing tides

The Gales forever blow

The old Sea salt with feeble voice

Says there’s someth’en I want to know.

8. Will you a faithful shipmate be

Stand true and strong and brave

To set your sails against all sin

Lost souls to seek and save?

9. Or will you run below the decks

To hope for calmer sea’s

Let others fight to keep the faith

You a stowaway will be.

10. It was just then the bell did toll

It was time to turn to sea

The question is for you my friend

Will you a shipmate be?

11. The old Sailor turned to go

His wife came in anew

Their lantern shown a brighter day

As they faded out of view

12. The old ship of Zion,

crossed Heaven’s bar,

the old sailor and his wife

stood together by the spare.

With flags and banners flying

They Sailed into port,

dropped the sails, and set the boom.

What a glorious sight!

13. It dropped its anchor, raised the jack

The saints pulled hard for shore

The Sailor and his faithful wife

Are home forevermore!

14. There is a mansion high above

That sits on Heaven’s shore

And with a spy glass every day

They search the ocean or’e

15. One may ask, just what it is

They search the rolling Sea’s

They spy the waves with all their might

For loved ones longed to see!

Someone (a landlubber) asked for an explanation of what these words meant. Perhaps this will help with the poem.

Landlubber: Someone unfamiliar with the sea or seamanship.

There are hundreds of phrases and marine terminologies used in sailing and ship navigation. Their use and application are like another world that is soon fading from our lives. Life at sea was a romance, more than an occupation. The wonders and stunning beauty of the open sea is totally unknown to most people today. They may wonder how it stole the hearts of many a sailor, that fell in love with the sea.

The sailor’s life was very difficult and demanding. It required strength and courage that made them known as “men of steel and ships of wood”. But despite the obstacles and challenges, it captured the hearts of many a young man who “ran off to sea” or the many men who made the sailors life their life-long passion.

The hair-raising stories of Pirates and sea dogs, still capture the imaginations of many today. But there is an unseen story of the true and Brave men who ploughed the waves and storms, and fought courageously in battles at sea. They gave their hearts and lives to the ocean in the defense of their country and our freedoms. Many of the Men who fought so bravely where still in their teens, but men at heart. It’s a story of romance and sacrifice, courage and commitment, a story that few today understand.

Even less understood is the loved ones left behind. they watched every day, scanning the horizon for their husbands and Dads and brothers to come home. Each mast and sail that came over the horizon brought unspeakable hope! Each disappointment was heart crushing. The loved ones who never came home, but found their resting place beneath the waves, far outnumbered the weathered faces that came back. There are few things in life as crushing as the “little cloth bag” of their loved one’s meager possession. It was all that was left. It was presented to the mother or wife of those who gave their all. The silence of the empty chair is deafening. The coats hanging on the peg behind the door, carries with it, a story never to be finished. The emotional storms that “little cloth bag” brought with it, was far fiercer than any Gale the sea could muster.

When a ship enters port, the port master would raise the signal flags and request information from the ship. The ship in return, would raise its flags in answer to those questions. And request permission to drop anchor. But for the grieving wife or mother, their question of “why” or “what happened”, would never be answered. The signal flag that is never answered back is “why?”

But time moves on, those lives and their story is lost somewhere in the pages of history.

But the flag of their country they fought for, waves on! The life and story of the American Sailor, may be silenced by the storms and the deep, but will forever be heard in the pages of history and the pages of the heart!

The big ships full of adventure and challenges is a story who language is seldom spoken. But it’s there, waiting to be awakened and its treasures explored! The romance may be hidden from our eyes, but once discovered, it can still capture the heart! For those who discover this hidden but not forgotten treasure, the sea still beckons and steals the heart!

Here are only a few of those phrases.

Gangplank: the long portable plank between the ship and the dock, used for boarding a ship.
Boatswains: The sailor that plays the ships whistle when officers or dignitaries come aboard. there is a different tune for each rank of officer, and another tune for dignitaries. (Boatswain: whoes normal job was the care of the ship, from the crows’ nest above the sails, to the keel below deck, from the bowsprit to the rudder. It was their responsibility to keep it all in good shape.)

The word “boatswain” is a job description. However, boatswain “mate”, identifies a person involved in that trade.

Quarterdeck: the small area of the ships deck, where the Gangplank rest upon.

It is always manned by:

an officer referred to as the officer of the deck, (OTD)
1. the ships armed security personnel, an armed MP or a shore patrol.
1. A boatswain’s mate that pipes the boarding party on board
1. a pedestal with a log book on it. The officer of the deck, records names, Rank, who comes, who goes, what time, date, etc.
It is required of all military personnel to salute the US Flag on the quarterdeck, and the OTD as they cross the gangplank, and before they reach the quarter deck.
Note: this gangplank/quarterdeck is referred to as the forward Gangplank. Only officers and dignitaries used the forward gangplank.
Enlisted men used the Aft gangplank, unless they are bringing guest aboard. then they use the forward gangplank and gain permission from the officer of the deck to bring the guest on board. If permission is granted, the OTD (officer of the deck) logs the information such as their name, relationships into the log book and who it was that requested the permission. No guest is allowed in restricted areas of the ship. There is no piping for an enlisted man or his party. The personnel attending the quarterdeck have full view of who is entering the Aft deck. They monitor it very closely and know everyone that uses it. There is normally no one manning the aft deck, (aft gangplank) unless condition require it.
old Salt: an experienced sailor who has proven himself at sea. Sometimes also referred to as a sea dog.
Dixie: the round white hat that Sailors wore. There were rules that applied on how to wear it. An improper wearing would require a verbal warning. A second warning you would not like! It was a part of your uniform.
Scuttle bucket: the fresh water barrel on board ship. it was usually the gathering place where much visiting took place. (And a whole lot of Gossip!) cleaning up the scuttle bucket had nothing to do with the water barrel! Everything to do with stopping the rummers that circulated among the crew.
Note: there was always a silver coin placed into the water barrel.it was a superstition. But later found to be useful. This was considered a health requirement as it prevented many ailments.
Billows: The huge rolling swells of the ocean. In times of storms, they can be several stories tall. normally a lot bigger and higher than your ship!
Sipping water: when those giant swells come crashing down on the foredeck (front part of the ships deck) and aft-deck (rear part of the ships deck) of your ship. Usually in times of storm. They can engulf you ship and shake it vigorously with a thunderous roar. It’s extremely majestic and beautiful to behold! Also, very dangerous and destructive.
The Helm: the steering wheel of the rudder. Shaped similar to a wagon wheel. In times of bad weather, it might take several men to hold the helm in place, that they might keep the ship on course. you could not allow the ship to turn with the wind! As that will cause the ship to capsize. The ship must always be facing the incoming waves, while in a storm. So, you’re standing there with the billows trying to wash you overboard, the wind making the salt water spray, stings your face, while the helm is trying to launch you like a pinwheel. The old saying of courage was “tied to the mast”. You couldn’t tie your self to the helm, as it had to be moved to navigate, but tying yourself to the mast, was total commitment to stay on post or die.
mid-deck. Ships had open decks. The center of the ship is called mid-deck. This is where the “hold” (cargo spaces below deck) had its wide entry. These entries had “wooden covers” (water tight doors) would be found. These cargo access points were usually 2-3 feet high above the deck. This not only served to keep water out of the holds, it also was used for “other reasons” as well. The mid-section is where a the “captains court” would be held, while the captain and 1^st officer, stood on the elevated aft deck. if a seaman was charged with a crime or an offense, the captain was always the ships judge, and all courts were held in the presence of the entire crew. This is also where punishments would be carried out. Such as whippings, deranking, executions, and such like. All punishments were always severe and normally brutal. This was necessary to prevent mutiny and keep the captain in control of his crew. Such things as being hulled, starved, hanged, or “walking the plank” were very real and feared by every man. History tells us, if the captain was overly severe or unjust, his actions would incite a mutiny instead of discouraging it.
Cannon Thunder: the sound of the roaring cannons, and the shaking of the ship as they were fired., the smell of gunpowder and the verbal orders of the captain being yelled out over the chaos of the battle.
Sabers and cutlasses: the long-curved swords and knives once used by sailors in hand-to-hand combat in battles at sea.
Restless Sea: the constant moving of the sea, the swells, billows, tides, Gales, storms, the cross-winds, water spouts, Freak waves that breech your ship, Hidden reefs, Dead mans’ sea, sudden sicknesses that spread over the entire crew, False alarms of eerie origin, mirages and apparitions, whirlpools, rain squalls, breeching whales, rivers at sea, and much more! Yes! The restless sea!
Gales: the strongest winds at sea. They could capsize your ship, break off the mast, and blow men overboard. Every hurricane and typhoon carried with it several days of gales.
Faithfull shipmate: an old Salt. This can also be a complement paid to someone who has earned a high degree of respect. normally due to an act of valor.
Set of sail: the angle, the pitch and the height of the sails to capture the wind, without being capsized or breaking the mast.
Below deck: somewhere on-board ship where you were protected from the storms and the elements of the Sea. Living quarters, gally, and sick bay for instance. A separate area from the cargo hold.
Stowaway: someone who secretly sneaked on board ship and hides somewhere to escape being found. Also, a sailor who loses his courage and runs from the place of duty.
the bell did toll: every movement the ship made in navigation or purpose, was announced by a certain ringing of the bell. there was only one “ships Bell”, but there were many ways it could be rung. it was like a morse code of the ship. When a ship prepares to leave the dock or return to sea, there was also a “bell” for that. Every one knew what to expect and what to do by the ringing of the bell.
the old ship of Zion: a phrase used to denote Christianity and all the hardship and storms of life. Jesus is the captain of the old ship of Zion!
Crossing the bar: the place where the open sea meets the fast and shallow tides, the underwater shelfs, harbor currents and sometimes fresh water rivers that pour into the sea. It is almost always a very turbulent and trouble place. Many a small bark has been sunk trying to cross the bar.
Flags: when a ship runs a line (rope) from the foredeck over the mast, and to the aft deck, it has several Flags that hang (flies) from that line. These flags are usually tri-angle shaped and each flag has a meaning. Together they communicate a message to the Port duty officer (the officer in charge of the harbor and each ship that enters that harbor). As well as other ship already in port. It was the ports duty officer, that first boarded each ship. he would read the” manifesto” of the ship cargo, and the ship was required to pay duty (taxes) of the cargo’s value. Some military vessels can be exempt from paying duty. Depending on the king or the Duty officer.
Sometimes the “flags” were requesting assistance due to a sickness on board, at that time the flags would be “asking” permission to enter port. The port duty officer would read the ships message with a spyglass, and reply with the ports “flags” to answer the ships request. Many times, a doctor was requested.

Note the “Jolly roger” flag of skull and crossbones, was the ships flag to signal the surrounding ship and/or the port duty officer, that a plague was on board that ship. Pirates took advantage of that flag by using it to deceive other ships. Supposing that they were coming “broadside” to gets help or request the use of a doctor. But in actuality, they were coming “broadside” for a surprise attack of war.

Broadside: A: for two ships to come close together, side by side. B: the full exposure of the side of a ship.
Bow shot: a small cannon firing a single shot across the bow of another ship. It meant stop or we will attack.
Banners: these are normally long flowing flags used to denote celebration. Such as when a ship returns home after a long voyage, or a victorious battle. Each banner had a distinct meaning.
Dropped the Sails: the act of lowering the sails to stop the ships movement after it has entered harbor. Note: dropping the sails brought immediate results of slowing/stopping the ship. However once in port, and when the wind allowed, the sails were raised to their fullest height, and the bottoms of the sails were raised to the Yard-arms. This ensured a quick response when leaving harbor, or when the ship engaged in battle. So “dropping the sails” could mean more than one thing. “Raising” the sails, also had more than one meaning. It all depended on the ship was doing at the time.
entering port. To sail into port, didn’t always require sails. It was normal to sail as close to the harbor as possible. Then drop anchor and sails.
when permission to enter was granted by the port duty officer, the Longboats were launched from the port.. these Longboats, would tow the ship into harbor. Carefully navigating the ship into the tight spaces of a busy harbor.

Raised the Jack: a large flag flown from the rear of the aft deck, that told what fleet it was assigned to. Normally raised after it had entered port. Entering the port meant tied to a dock or pier. Sometimes entering port meant anchoring out in the harbor and using a “life Boat” to row to shore. The only difference between a life boat and a liberty boat was how the boat was being used.
pulling for shore: when the Sailors manned the oars, and put their backs into the rowing of the life boats, it wasn’t always easy. Tides, winds, waves, loads, and river currents, could require some strong men that could hold up in the endeavor.
Spyglass: a hand-held telescope used by the ancient mariners to read other ship, the ocean and the weather.
- spy the waves: to search the oceans and its horizons for other ships, people, land, hazards at sea, dangerous marine life such as killer whales, whales breaching, mysterious apparitions, changes in the oceans color. (This indicated temperature change, coming storms, hidden reefs, or the cross currents of rivers in the sea.) ship debris, Down-spouts, whirl-pools, etc. this was the responsibility of the watch in the crow’s-nest. light-houses had spyglasses for the same reasons. These were a much larger size and was mounted on a permanent tripod. And often inside the glass wall.
Crows-nest: the elevated platform mounted on the main mast, above the Sails. Used as an observation post. Every 10 ft of elevation above the deck, offered about 7 miles of increased visibility. It was the “Early warning “system of the days of Sail.
Bark: 1. a ship with two mast or less. 2. small open boat. Normally used for inland waters or harbors. And never for the open sea. anything with more than two mast could not be called a Bark. However, a small open boat, could be called a bark also.
“Dead mans’ sea”. Times at sea when the ocean lays down. The water is as flat and still as if it were in a bucket. There is no wind or breeze. Sailors feared them, because if the ship was left in that condition to long, they could run out of food or water or both. They weren’t going anywhere. A designated rope would sometime be used to break the curse of the dead man sea. They would tie knots in the rope ever few feet. Then untying a knot every day was supposed to break the spell. These designated ropes had to be made while still in port, then a parson or godly man would pray over it
Ghost ship. A ship found at sea, having no living person on board. Many theories were made as to this strange and frightful event. The condition of the ship, and what was found inside would tell a tale. Also, the captains log should have something recorded there. A “Dead mans’ sea” was always considered. Sickness, pirates, fearful encounters are also theories. Even ships that lose there mooring and drift out to sea, are possible causes. However, some discoveries were horrific and unexplainable.

“Fearful encounters” was a theory, but everyone knew the life of a sailor was not for the faint of heart. For something to be so frightful, as to cause a whole crew to abandon ship, was totally unconceivable. Unless there was something onboard that gave reasonable cause. The tales of gigantic octopus or some other monster of the deep, was well known in that day. Even when the marks left behind on the ship, testified to such things, it’s still unconceivable today.

The love of the sea. The ocean is a world of beauty, that is not seen anywhere on land. It’s a world of water and light and power. Such sights as storms at sea. They are often spoken of as terrifying and destructive, but their beauty is beyond words. The sunrise and sunsets at sea, are augmented with the colors and humidity of the ocean. They can be so magnificent and majestic to witness. The ever changing colors and faces of the sea. A mixture of power and pastels. The sea life of every creature is on display. Much to the amusement of the sailors. The phosphorous sea at night with its hue of green and sparkles, the clear night skies with billions of stars, the amazement of a water spout, (a water tornado), flying fish, friendly dolphins, whales that sleep on the surface of the sea. Even a casual day is filled with stunning sunrises, beautiful weather, fresh sea air that is very invigorating, sea life on display and breathtaking sunsets. Then the very stary sky and the glowing night waters. A rain storm will produce torrential downpours, high winds, and an electrical storm that has Gods handy work on display! There is never a dull day at sea!