Programs Blog

Songs stuck in my head or sung with others

October 20, 2023
hwan science- copepod, copepod, copepod, copepod

Author: Hwan Huh, Boston College

Ship’s Log

October 20, 2023Time: 0739Weather: Sunny and a cool 27C

I’m not sure if anyone’s written about it but every Saturday(ish) we haveField Day, a day of fun and games for everyone aboard. The games includewiping down toilets and deep cleaning the nastiest corners of the galley – Iactually don’t know why it’s called Field Day, but it’s basically wheneveryone dedicates about 2-3 hours of time to deep cleaning the boattogether, and during that time people are allowed to play music which makesfor an adventure as you travel through several different people on auxplaying all sorts of things. Vuki, for example, loves his country. He’s incharge of cleaning the doghouse and is usually playing Johnny Cash orsomething similar. Last Field Day, which happened on a Thursday for schedulereasons, C watch, in charge of cleaning the aft of the ship, came togetherto belt out some Ring of Fire and Chicken Fried, era-defining music. Up onthe quarterdeck, Tobi was alternating with Captain playing their musicalsoundtracks, I think some High School Musical and Thirteen the Musical? It’sbeen a while since my phase. I had to pop into the engine room for a bitthat day to do a boat check and ran into Sil, jamming out to music in hisheadphones while the loud whir of the generators blasted behind him. Turnsout it was the Lilo and Stitch soundtrack, Hawaiian Rollercoaster at themoment I walked in.

There was another day coming off Tuvalu where there was some music going,when we were all scraping coconuts for milk so we could cook a local squashwe got from Afe’s island. As we sat in the fading sunlight scrapingcoconuts, I played the album Lonesome Dreams by Lord Huron, which is anabsolutely incredible album I think anyone who wants to go adventuringshould listen too.

There are also some outlandish things that come into my head that reallymake me feel the pain of not having downloaded enough music. This morningduring dawn watch I suddenly had Snoop Dogg’s “Affirmations” stuck in myhead without enough lyrics memorized to get it out (I get better everysingle day!). The watch before, Grace, Katherine and I had the most brutalbacteria filtration I think anyone ever has and ever should experience.Without going in to too many details, things were broken, lives flashedbefore eyes, samples contaminated and lost, and uncontrollable giggles werehad. During this, that song that goes “every little thing, is gonna bealright”(is that what it’s called?) just came into my head and it was thelittle affirmation we sang together to get through it.

Music is also a tool! One time we were setting the mainsail and Fredi, whowas leading the haul, used the sea shanty Fish in the Sea to get us haulingtogether on rhythm, and later I transcribed it into my journal and sing iton helm when I’m bored sometimes. Less seriously on one night watch we setthe jib hauling to various choruses of Taylor Swift songs because therewasn’t a song all of us knew well enough to go for any meaningful amount oftime.

Standing lookout is also a great time to sing and play music in your mind.Lately I’ve had “Off to Sea” by the Longest Johns on cloudy, gray days onlookout. It’s a song I started listening too when I first signed up for theprogram, which is funny because the whole song is telling people not to sailbecause life sucks when sailing but it makes me feel like melancholic and itfits my vocal range so it’s really perfect when you stand alone on the bow.Although sometimes, you need a little Mama Mia because you’re falling asleepand anything even remotely solemn is going to have you snoozing on thebowsprit.

Although the rule is no music on speakers during most days, there alwaysseems to be songs somewhere. Grant and Satya up on the lab top strummingguitars and singing about Jesus’s Astrovan, people with earbuds in as theywork on personal projects, Arctic Monkeys in the control room while Siltinkers with his scrounged materials. Cher La Luna when talking about Jake’sexpressive hand motions, or “Do You Hear the People Sing” from the galleywhen Tobi and Grace are putting the finishing touches on breakfast. Thereare jingles for people giving reports during ship meetings, (ooh, ahh,science report), or the occasional “that’s a morayyyyy”(Thank you Sil forsourcing).

I’m much more of a listener than a maker or singer, but music is still suchan important part of my life and being on this ship full of music, albeit inan unconventional way, is such a treat and brings this little boat communityto life. If any of you are reading this either on the ship or looking back –keep singing, everyone’s better for it.Hi friends at home or in other fun places! I hope you’re all still having agood time wherever life took you and that you’re still being awesome!To Mom and Dad, I can’t wait to see you in again, I promise I’ve been safeand risk-averse.

To Susu – Happy 5 months! I think because of our time zones and the blogupload pace you’re not going to see this on the day, but I love and miss youlots – Good luck at Waves, you’re gonna kill it!(I think that’s the one oops)