Great Poems of The Sea CD

Cadgwith Fishermen record Great Poems of the Sea
Fishermen from Cadgwith Cove have recorded a CD Great “Poems of the Sea” read by Fishermen of Cadgwith, Cornwall in support of the Fishermen’s Mission; the great writings of the sea recorded by men who have spent their lives fishing the forbidding waters around the Lizard Peninsula.  Poems by the great poets Tennyson, Masefield, Kipling and Longfellow, together with excerpts from Melville’s Moby Dick and Darwin’s The Voyage of the Beagle: all read by Cadgwith covemen Steve Collins, Nigel Legge, John Trewin, Plugger Jane, Luke Stephens, Martin Ellis and Jonathan Fletcher.

‘These are men more used to standing with salt in their hair and teeth on the deck of a crabber rather than standing in front of a microphone reading lines of poetry’, said producer Robin Bates, ‘but what you’ll hear are authentic voices of men who know first-hand what the poets write about.  In a way, the 21 tracks of the CD are a retort to the current fashion for recording sea shanties – often sung by singers who have never been to sea.  For the men on this CD – it’s a way of life.’

Local musicians provide incidental music between the readings and the CD carries four songs, all original.  Two Men, written and performed by Paul Collins tells of two Cadgwith fishermen lost in 1994 when their boat sank in Kennack Bay.  The song reflects the disparity between domestic life ashore and the perils of life at sea.  The Fishermen’s Mission supported the families of both fishermen through their grief and loss and is spoken of with great gratitude and respect in the Cadgwith fishing community.  Profits from sales of the CD are going to support the Mission’s continuing work.