Thanks, folks, for the kind (and merciful!) words. I am limited in my travels at present (mostly by finances, long story), but I do hope to meet up at some point and check youse all out in the flesh.

Sinsull: Yep, I'm from (and currently in) Hartford area, however for the better part of the last decade I've been in places like California and India, which explains my missing the Mystic festivals (tho I do plan to go this year).

Tom, very kind of you to give a listen.

Azizi, thanks for the warm welcome. We can wage wars together, if you like.

I do hope you have some like-minded nautical folks to sing with. I can't imagine how else one could sustain personal interest in learning so many sea songs.

Hey Charley, I have the regrettable personality type where if I find myself in the company of too many like-minded folks I tend to exit! But more seriously...though I'm brought up in New England, nautical life was not a big part of it. In fact, I experienced a noticeable class and cultural differences between the "coast people" and the kind of people I grew up with. I don't desire to perpetuate any such useless cultural barriers by dwelling on that, but at the personal level I do experience a feeling a bit like I'm coming at this from a "different culture." My approach to chanteys is more as work songs or roots music, which, funny enough, isn't too hard when much of the repertoire (not counting forebitters) doesnt actual say that much about the sea. On the other hand, the world of sailing that I find in chanteys clicks with me more for its cosmopolitanism, travel, diversity, etc. And of course, I am very interested in nautical stuff, it's just that I havent had much occasion so far to indulge in that.

RangerSteve, you're very welcome.

Gibb