I think I learned something today. Try and get the whole story!
I decided to read the biographical notes with the poems by Harry Kemp in the WPA interview at American Memory. Being familiar with a great number of these WPA biographies, all of common people who are known only through these interviews, I assumed that he was one of these people.
Harry Kemp was a published author and poet, known as the Tramp Poet, and The Poet of the Dunes, among other names. He wrote a number of chanteys, and a book of chanteys has his introduction.
He became a slave to alcohol sometime in the 1930s, was divorced, and lived on the largesse of those who had admired his work of earlier years. His work deteriorated and I don't believe anything from his last 20-odd years received any attention.
There are a number of websites devoted to his biography and his writings.
A fascinating story of a most unusual man, possibly the inspiration for Kerouac's famous novel, is found in these websites. In addition to the American Memory WPA interview, see these:
Poet of the Dunes
Poetry

Don't credit me with anything- just credit this unusual man. And look at some of his other sea songs.