The females aren't required to have beards though :-)

Sandra, you just stole some of my words. I had just written a long thing about the shanty festival (which I think is too early for them) and the 4th Wednesday (which is the 23rd and would probably suit them) and the probability of arranging a session anyway, and then your post appeared!

Spindrift, even if we can't have a session on the James Craig, there's nothing to stop us having a session at one of the Forties places - either our place (mine and John's) or Margaret's spring to mind. We don't need much of an excuse to have a session. Charlie has been to our sessions and barely survived enjoyed himself. I'll PM you some contact numbers and email addy's when the 'cat is up again.

We are all going to be at the National, too. The Roaring Forties will be doing a presentation of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. It isn't in the program, but it will be at the Merry Muse, which is one of the venues, run by the folk club in Canberra, at 12.45pm on the Saturday, I believe. They performed it for the first time last week at another festival (Cobargo) and it was very favourably received. There are also good singing sessions every night there, which always include lots of shanties. Evan Mathieson from Queensland, a good singer of shanties, will be there too. He came to my folk club tonight and did a very nice floor spot.

Speaking of the National, we always arrange meetings of Mudcatters there. Sandra started a thread a few days ago, which fell off the bottom - I've just picked it up again. I was about to link to it, but normal Mudcat has gone down, so this is a link to the thread through the backdoor - Oz Catters meet @ 2005 National Festival

If you don't have a Mudcat badge and would like one, Bob Bolton makes them. Just let him know if you would like him to.

Jenny