One of my best experiences has been with the barque James Craig, now moored next to the National Maritime Museum in Sydney Australia. Not only does the management schedule monthly shanty sings aboard but they actually sail the vessel out beyond Sydney heads every other week, and sometimes even further up and down the coast. The volunteer crew learns how to sail and sing! Our good friend John Warner, songwriter and member of the Roarin' Forties, got his first experience at sea a few years back being volunteer shantyman aboard her; my understanding is that he was, like most of the rest of us, only an armchair shantyman before that.

We're planning to revisit Australia in a year or so and this time I'll see what I can do to schedule some sea time aboard the Craig.

I'm not sure how the finances work for this tall ship, but it's a better experience for the public and volunteers than what has been accomplished at any museum I'm aware of in the States.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble