ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)

Subject: ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)
From: kendall
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 07:53 AM

HAZARDS TO NAVIGATION
(Kendall Morse)

Did I ever tell you people about a time long years ago
When Jackson and I left No Man's, in a fog that hung heavy and low?
From No Man's into Camden is almost thirty miles,
No radar in those days, dead reckoning all the while.
Coming across Penobscot Bay in a fog that was dungeon thick,
I knew we could be run down by a tanker or a cargo ship.
We could hear the horns and whistles of those monsters all around,
One could ram us in that soup and they'd never hear a sound.
The mate was standing on the bow to get a better view
"We're surrounded Captain" he yelled back "What you gonna do?"
"Throw some of them Maine potatoes, like snowballs, hard as you can
And if one of them don't splash I'll know it's time to turn".

We left the channel far behind but I couldn't find the Graves*
Our time was up and it wasn't there, and the mate began to rave.
His girl was waiting on the shore, while we were out to sea,
And the last thing in the world he wanted to do was spend more time with me.

He'd had enough of the sea that day so I just let him steam,
I killed the engine and listened hard for that buoy off our beam.
I didn't know which way to head 'cause we didn't know where we were
The buoy I wanted wasn't there was all I knew for sure.

Then all at once it came to me, the smell of new mown hay
And an awful racket came with it from somewhere across the bay
In that soup we didn't know we were so close to the shore,
A boy was out there mowing his lawn we could hear his engine roar!
"We're lost in the fog" I hollered "After a week at sea,
How do you get to Camden?" He said "My dad takes me"

There was no help there, so we came about to get her well off shore
The fog burned off and there was the Graves* 'twas only a mile or more
We tied her up in Camden, after a long hard jog,
And we promised ourselves that never again would we sail in that kind of fog.

This is based on a true incident although I did stretch the truth just a bit.

*The Graves is a pile of rocks just outside Camden harbor.

From 1959 to 1962 I was stationed aboard the Explorer, a 40 foot patrol boat out of Camden harbor Maine. For most of that time I was Captain, and the Mate's name was Jackson.

Subject: RE: Lyrics add HAZARDS TO NAVIGATION
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 10:43 AM

Hmmm, not much interest here.

Subject: RE: Lyrics add HAZARDS TO NAVIGATION
From: Tangledwood
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:22 PM

That's what happens if you post in the middle of the night. :) Now that morning has arrived - great tale!

Subject: RE: Lyrics add HAZARDS TO NAVIGATION
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:23 PM

obviously ATONal

Subject: RE: ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 06:38 PM

Where or what is "No Man's," Kendall?

-Joe-

P.S. I like the song.

Subject: RE: ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)
From: Amos
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 07:30 PM

This is a great ballad, Skipper!! So tone your voice up--I want to hear you singing it at next year's Getaway.


A

Subject: RE: ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)
From: kendall
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 07:36 PM

I'd give my front seat in Hell to be able to sing at the Getaway next year!

Joe, No Man's is an island near Matinicus 26 miles from Camden Maine.Bleak and barren, uninhabited, not worth fighting over.

Subject: RE: ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 08:12 PM

Not to worry, Kendall. Folks is just taking their time to appreciate your creative work.

......Wow!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)
From: kendall
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 07:06 AM

Thanks Charlie. I hope you are right.

Subject: RE: ADD: Hazards to Navigation (Kendall Morse)
From: kendall
Date: 23 Oct 10 - 07:14 AM

I still have stuff that is just too personal to post here. However, I'd share some of it in a PM.