33 Stranded

 <Chorus>

Shantyman: Our ship broke apart near the Chatum bar

Crew: Here we are on the Pendleton

Shantyman: 33 stranded in this nor’easter

Crew: She split in half, we’re stranded

Shantyman: Will this storm be the one that finally sank her?

Crew: Hey! Ho! Will we die below?

Shantyman: Will we perish ‘neath the weight of this oil tanker?

Crew: Dear God don’t leave us stranded!

Shantyman: We hear another tanker is also split asunder

Crew: Hey! Ho! Will we die below?

Shantyman: Will we all be saved or will our souls be left to wander?

Crew: Dear God don’t leave us stranded!

<Chorus>

Shantyman: The pumps are working to keep us all alive

Crew: Hey! Ho! Will we die below?

Shantyman: But will the waters rising lead to our demise?

Crew: Dear God don’t leave us stranded!

Shantyman: Let’s fix the rudder our spirits to renew

Crew: Hey! Ho! Will we die below?

Shantyman: To live past February in the year 52

Crew: Dear God don’t leave us stranded!

<Chorus>

Shantyman: The waves throw us ‘round like a cauldron in boil

Crew: Hey! Ho! Will we die below?

Shantyman: Let’s make for the bar, we’ve spilled our oil

Crew: Dear God don’t leave us stranded!

Shantyman: Hallelujah, we’ve run aground

Crew: Hey! Ho! Will we die below?

Shantyman: But on this stormy night will we e’er be found?

Crew: Dear God don’t leave us stranded!

<Chorus>

Shantyman: By the grace of God I see a searchlight shine

Crew: Hey! Ho! Will we die below?

Shantyman: It’s a tiny lifeboat, but it’s just in time

Crew: Dear God don’t leave us stranded!

Shantyman: Tell me who do we owe our great debt to?

Crew: Hey! Ho! We didn’t die below!

Shantyman: Saved by a four-man Coast Guard crew

Crew: God didn’t leave us stranded!

Crew: Hey! Ho! We didn’t die below!

Shantyman: Saved by a four-man Coast Guard crew

Crew: God didn’t leave us stranded!

All: God didn’t leave us stranded!

All: God didn’t leave us stranded!

All: Hooray!

By Royce Waxenfelter

12/7/20

Note: Based on the true story of the SS Pendleton off the coast of Cape Cod on February 18, 1952. The tanker split apart and on the half that didn’t abruptly sink, 33 men remained. The perilous trek to save those 33 men is commonly known as the most dangerous rescue in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard. 32 of 33 were saved. Watch the Disney Movie ‘The Finest Hours’ for reference.

The poem is written as a traditional sea shanty, with the Shantyman calling out a verse and the crew responding. Shanty's helped the sailing crews stay in time together as they pulled ropes, hoisted sails, and loaded cargo.