Hi Margarita, Tom did write the Sailor's Prayer. He based his song on the chorus which is traditional with the exception of "beak" where it had originally been "wings". IMHO he did a fantastic job all around & does a great job singing it too.
I remember reading a story (but can't remember where anymore) in which a skipper ( a Yankee or a Downeaster, I think) claimed to be able to tell his position by the smell of the sea bottom that would come up with the heaving of the lead. Now the crew thought to have a grand laugh at the skipper's expence. While last on shore they grabbed some chicken dung from the yard of one of the locals. When the skipper called for the lead during a fog to find out where they were the crew stuffed the lead with the chicken dung & waited. Well the skipper was in horror saying that they had run ashore & were in the middle of Mrs. ?????? yard. (as best I can remember it). Barry