This classic mid 19th century ‘sea-song’ is an accurate depiction of ‘a dam tough life, full of toil and strife’ that was whaling in the Southern Seas. The Pacific whalers gathered in numbers at Lahaina Maui for fitting out ready to hunt bowhead whales off the Kamchatka peninsula. Crews would also rest in Maui before making the long journey back to America. ‘Rest’ would have included plenty of drinking, general debauchery and no doubt some genuine romance as those ‘big brown eyes looked out, hoping some fine day to see, baggy sails running for the gales rolling down to old Maui’.
Old Maui
Published by Graham O'Neill
Graham generally sees the funny side of life, which is just as well as he spent 35 years working for the telephone company. He started scuba diving with the British Subaqua Club at the age of 16, rode horses through his 20's, became an obsessive windsurfer in his 30's and had a go at free-diving in his 40's. While all of this was going on he rode a bike to keep fit and get to the pub. In later life, in an effort to stave off dementia he has taken up singing and dancing. You may see short stories about these pursuits, but don't expect to read about any degree of prowess as the experiences he can still remember generally relate to (in order) getting bent, crashing a horse (yes, crashing, not just falling off), Windsurfing stupidly in a storm 10, wreck diving without an aqualung, time-trialling with a hangover, singing out of tune and falling on his arse (dancing). View all posts by Graham O'Neill
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