Here’s a great video by the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard about their most recent Ernestina project. They also kept an interesting online Shipyard Log of their Ernestina work.
Schooner Ernestina: Great video of most recent work by Boothbay Harbor Shipyard
Published by
Sea-Fever blog 
Press Release
This Easter sees the second Maritime Festival to be held at the National British Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port. Staged by Shanty UK and following on from the success of their 2011 festival it is certainly set to become an annual event. There has been a boat gathering held by the Boat Museum Society at the museum over the Easter period for many years but the addition of a Festival of Maritime Music is certain to add to the atmosphere and excitement of the weekend.
The festival will run from Friday morning until Sunday evening with singing taking place in several areas around the museum. We have groups from all over the UK and two from the Netherlands and a group from Belgium. There will be evening concerts on Friday and Saturday nights.
Workshops and demonstrations will have something for everyone and include woodcarving, knot tying and playing ‘the bones’. There will be shows about pirates and navy songs from the age of steam or the maritime poems of C. Fox Smith and their adaptation fro song. There will also be a face painter, story teller and activities for the young (and young at heart), and if shopping is your thing there will be stalls to browse offering such delights as delicious home baking, clothing, jewellery, crafts, and traditional Cornish smocks.
But the main reason for this great gathering of maritime singers is simply “The Songs”. Shanties were the working songs used on the tall ships of the Merchant Navy, and they were used to keep the rhythm for the many onerous tasks that were needed to keep the sailing ships going. On the sailors’ off-duty time they would gather on the fore part of the ship, (the fore hatch) or by the bitts (the posts to which the anchor ropes were made fast), and sing songs of their homes, their girls or going ashore and spending their money on beer and women. These songs became known as forebitters. Such songs are our history and all the performers you will hear over the weekend have a passion for keeping them alive. But the bottom line is, they are great fun to sing and we have around 30 acts with us for the weekend. You can find out more by visiting us at http://www.shanty.org.uk
So, get down to The National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port over the Easter break for something a little different.
The cost is £6 for entry to the museum. Please remember to gift aid your admission. This ticket covers you for entry for a full year so one six pound ticket covers the cost of the full three days. The evening concerts are an additional cost of £10 per day and are available from the museum during the festival.
Comments from 2011
‘Totally unexpected treat having only expected boats the sea songs were a real bonus!’
‘Staying on a historic boat. Never attended evening entertainment before – loved it! Even my children were singing along. Great entertainment during the day’
‘Very friendly and informal – good quality acts – great acoustics. Would like this to be a regular annual event’
‘Wonderful combination of Maritime Songs and Canal Celebrations’
‘After a long time a new shanty festival. Thanks! Looking forward to next year’.
We would be grateful if you would be kind enough to include information about the festival in your publication or listings.