Spanish Ladies

Traditional

Farewell and adieu, to you Spanish Ladies,
Farewell and adieu, to you ladies of Spain;
For we’ve received orders for to sail for ol’ England,
But we hope in a short time to see you again.

(Chorus)
We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors,
We’ll rant and we’ll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

We hove our ship to with the wind from sou’west, boys
We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take;
‘Twas forty-five fathoms, with a white sandy bottom,
So we squared our main yard and up channel did make. (Chorus)

We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors,
We’ll rant and we’ll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues. (Chorus)

The first land we sighted was call-ed the Dodman,
Next Rame Head off Plymouth, off Portsmouth the Wight;
We sailed by Beachy, by Fairlight and Dover,
And then we bore up for the South Foreland light. (Chorus)

Then the signal was made for the grand fleet to anchor,
And all in the Downs that night for to lie;
Let go your shank painter, cut loose your cat stopper!
Haul up your clew garnets, let tack and sheets fly! (Chorus)

Now, let ev−ry man drink off his full bumper,
And let ev−ry man drink off his full glass;
We−ll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy,
And here−s to the health of each true-hearted lass.

We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors,
We’ll rant and we’ll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

I can’t pretend we met any Spanish Ladies on our two week sojourn in France. Lots of unknown French Ladies and one known Canadian lady and one known English lady. Both friends , both a joy to meet during a relentless heatwave in France.

The points of this sea shanty are the recognisable landmarks as England comes into view after crossing the English Channel. First we recognised the Eddystone Light House, not Dodman point.

I am not sure anyone could recalibrate the lyrics to sing  Eddy-Stone-light-house with the necessary swing required by a shanty.

Let me just say I have sat on both Dodmans Point and Rame Head, so I have some shanty credentials intact or specifically my bottom does.

Miscellaneously I share my birthday with the Eddystone Lighthouse. The joy of blog research keeps on giving.

The joy of arriving in a port five minutes from home cannot be exaggerated.

End of today’s blog plus a little extra.

Here is an audio description of a funny incident on our travels . Not perhaps for the squeamish but funny in its way, but not robust enough for a full blown blog of its own. Puns fully intended.

I was sitting in a town square as a local event was being set up. As with these things the world over, there was a flurry and busyness of plans coming together. The compere or master of ceremonies was testing his public broadcast equipment with a selection of noises and words. He failed to turn off his microphone. Moments later, there were muffled voices and then silence followed by some rhythmic guttural noises , followed by a surprise noise reflecting joy or pleasure. Followed by a deep sigh. Those of us sat in the square, looked around, curiously wondering if we were hearing what we thought we might be?  Eyebrows were raised over our sunglasses, maybe a wry smile before concentrating on our phones or our dogs or absolutely anything but the live broadcast.

Now after two weeks in France I am an old hand at sharing toilet spaces with gentlemen. Weeing for men in France seems to be a largely silent event or maybe a moment for idle pleasantries. It could have been an innocent and much needed micturition. Or maybe not.

Technical info

We have mostly been off Wi-Fi for two weeks there will be loads of catch up ponderings or as the French would say réfléchir.