Charley,

I got to spend the night in the foc's'le of the Balclutha in exchange for volunteer work; an amazing experience. Slept well, too. Got up once; the view of SF from the Hyde St. Pier at 2am was unforgettable. I also got glimpses of several places on the Balclutha and the Eureka that one doesn't normally see. Also got an update on the terrible fate of the coastal steamer Wapama, the one on which my dad explained triple-expansion steam engines to a young ranger over 20 years ago. She's dying on a barge in Oakland, where she's been for 20 years.   I missed most of the music, but I had a wonderful time coloring fish and making signal flags with small children. The Johnson Girls have great voices, impressive power, and a lively sense of humor. Well worth going some way to hear.   I heard at least six languages (including Bulgarian) and seven varieties of English. The chantey sing last night was great, as was the informal gathering on the Eureka's upper deck before dinner. I now have faces to go with themonikers of several mudcatters.

All in all,a peak experience.