THE WAWONA

Built in 1897 in Fairhaven, California by noted Scandanavian shipwright Hans Ditlev Bendixsen, the Wawona was one of the largest three-masted schooners built in North America. Designed to carry lumber from Washington State to California and more distant ports, the Wawona sailed with a mimimal crew and without ballast for the Dolbeer & Carson Lumber Company. From 1914 to 1947 she sailed the Berring Sea to fish for cod. As a heritage vessel of the NW Seaport in Seattle, the Wawona hosted countless thousands of visitors between 1964 and 2003. In March, 2009, judged to be beyond repair or restoration, the vessel was carefully deconstructed in a local shipyard and artifacts (including wooden kneies, beams, and paneling) removed for storage and later display in on-land exhibits and memorials. YouTube Video of Wawona Being Moved to Lake Union Drydock

WAWONA
by Stan James and Mary Garvey
Sung by Stan James
Live recording of Stan singing with 'The Halibuts' (Stan James, Al Hirsch, Jon Pfaff)
at Ivar Haglund's Seattle restaurant.

Slime bank fishermen arranked, fishing on the great slime bank
Little money, little thanks, sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

Ragged sailors to the west, point her where the fishing’s best
Fore and aft we’ll stand the test, fishing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

Stormy seas may take our lives, we sure do miss our homes and wives
We must go where fishing thrives, sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

Where fishing weather’s wet or cold, stow the fish down in the hold
Slimy fish are none so bold, sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

If you think the fish is dear, think of us who labor here,
Winter work in summer gear, sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

Our hands are frozen, they won’t work, we’ll soak them ‘til they start to jerk
That is when they’ll really hurt, sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

Fishing here we earn our bread, on cardboard we will make our bed
And dream all night of cod fish heads, sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

Six million cod fish in our hold, that’s a record so I’m told
Million more we’ll catch I’m told. sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

We’ve caught enough for you and me, we’ll make our pass up to the quay
Have a regular jamboree and dance upon Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

I hope I’ve not taken too long to sing the verses of this song,
One more chorus, can’t be long, sailing on Wawona
Sailing, sailing on the rolling sea
Fishing where you find us, on the rolling sea.

Pacific Nothwest Folklore Society

Stan James aboard the Wawona