WHITBY FISHERMAN by BILL SABLES

When I was spending an evening with Sandy and Caroline Paton in August 1999 they sang an American Hymn called "Blessed Quietness". I liked the tune and the chorus prompted a thought about the "coble" fishermen of Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland in the North East of England, so I strung a few words together and this is what came up. I have used the same tune and chorus of the origional Hymn. Whitby is a fishing town on the Yorkshire coast famous for being the starting point of Captain Cook when he discovered Australia, and the annual Whitby Folk Festival Week held every August.

I'm a fisherman from Whitby, keep my boat down on the shore
And I fish the banks for herring as my father did before
When we leave the land at sunset for to plough the northern sea
It's the peace of moonlit waters that brings thoughts of home to me

Blessed quietness, Holy quietness,
What assurance in my soul
On the stormy sea speaking peace to me
How the billows cease to roll

When I'm standing in the wheelhouse in the subdued compass glow
I can find a peace unequalled, while the crew's asleep below
And the stars are there to guide me and to help me through the night
Mingling with the lights of comrades sailing for the morning light

When we shoot our nets at daybreak praying for a bumper haul
Then the sun shows in the heavens spreading brightness over all
And the seagulls wheel above us as we turn the boat around
'Cos the nets are full of silver and tonight we're Whitby bound

We'll unload our catch in the harbour and make sure all is tied down
Then it's home, a bath, then supper and a stroll down into town
We will pass around the bottle in a pub down on the quay
And we'll praise the Lords protection and His gift of Peaceful seas