If I'd known there was a chair shortage, I'dve brung in at least two generally kept in the back of "Ol' Red" the trusty Plym. Voyager van.

I generally like to keep fairly upright when singing / tinwhistling; gets more air that way.

After our China Seas sings, where yummy snacks went regularly 'round and adults on deck enjoyed beverages - at-large (not limited to lemonade, although that was very nice), and we sung our fool hearts out from 1600 hrs to nigh on 2200.... The "Tower" sort of struck me as a "Reader's Digest Condensed Version" of a proper Shantysing. But it was good fun and fellowship to be sure, and I hope to be in on the next one. I guess I'm not used to quite such a percentage of attendees being in the form of passive "audience".

I'll tell you what; the wooden plank floor of the tower surely makes for some fine "Deck Stomping", a pratice which I understand Shanteymen frequently used to emphasize the cadence or "beat" of a chantey with the heel of a sea-boot on the wooden deck, keeping time with the song and the job at hand. I held back considerably, not wanting to break anything - but the Old Observatory actually got pressed into service as a percussive musical instrument (right big one, too) for at least one old Chantey.

I, for one, would surely love to coordinate a Chanteysing with the visit to Portland of a full-sized sailing ship - sort of like they had in England recently (there was a thread about it - forgot the name).