Original Nautical Poetry: The Prudent Mariner

I wrote this poem on a small ship on the passage between Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. I was on a work assignment. The last few miles into the harbor were in shallow water and the channel was marked with buoys. Out of the channel it was very shallow. The perils of getting off-course were very apparent and the poem came to my mind. As I was writing the poem, I was also thinking about the 19 vessels that I had counted that had run aground as I was delivering a vessel from Florida to New York Harbor.

Original Nautical (Christian) Poetry: By A Very Small Helm

Doctrine And Covenants 123:16

You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.

By A Very Small Helm

By J. Brad Chapman

It’s said, my good friend, that a very large ship

Is aided and served oh so true,

By the very small means of a very small helm

I’ll explain, as I’ve plied the big blue.

You see, a large ship sideways to the wave

In a storm becomes a great sail

And when the ‘ol wind starts to blow fierce enough

The great ship will broach and then fail.

Seawater pours in and the ship starts to sink

And the crew will cry out in shear fright

And then they’ll slip under with prayer on their lips

That rises and meets heavens height.

But that very small helm on that very large ship

Could have saved the drowned and doomed crew

If she’d only been steered to keep her work ways

To the wind and the waves of big blue.

If the bow is held straight to the billowy blasts

No matter how hard the wind blows

The ship will slice cleanly through tempest and storm

And she’ll reap what the wise Captain sows.

So what do we learn from the plight of this ship

That sunk in the watery realm?

We learn that by small means great ships can be saved

In this case, by a very small helm.

Some people think their efforts are small

And give up their cause with a sigh

But we know that by small means great things come to pass

By those who are willing to try.

So as the sky darkens and the storm gathers strength

Grip the helm tight and steer straight

Keep the ship work ways to high wind and wave

And by small means do that which is great.

______________________________


James 3:4
 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

Alma 37:6
But behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

D&C 64:33
And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

D&C 123:15
Let no man count them as small things. ___________________________________________

I have been intrigued by the two scriptures that mention a "very small helm" since I obtained my captain's license back in my early 30's.  Back in the early 2000's, while I was delivering a high speed ferry from Sitka, Alaska to New York City,  I had the opportunity to tour the Aircraft Carrier on the Hudson River in New York City. It was the USS Intrepid. I stood at the helm and grasped the wheel and was in awe at how such a small wheel could turn an absolutely enormous Aircraft Carrier.

Original Nautical Poetry: The Least of These

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mathew 25:40

This is a poem that I wrote with inspiration from Psalms 107: 23 - 31.

I also composed the background music and perform it on a Martin 000C Nylon Stringed Guitar.

Psalms 107: 23 - 31
23  They that go down to the sea in ships,
that do business in great waters;
24  These see the works of the Lord,
 and his wonders in the deep.
25  For he commandeth, 
and raiseth the stormy wind,
which lifteth up the waves thereof.  
26  They mount up to the heaven,
they go down again to the depths:
their soul is melted because of trouble.
27  They reel to and fro, 
and stagger like a drunken man,
and are at their wits' end.
28  Then they cry unto the Lord
in their trouble,
and he bringeth them 
out of their distress.
29  He maketh the storm a calm,
so that the waves thereof are still.
30  Then are they glad
because they be quiet;
so he bringeth them unto
their desired haven.
31  Oh that men would praise  
the Lord for his goodness,
and for his wonderful works
to the children of men.


The Least Of These
By Captain J. Brad Chapman

A ship arrived in port one day, through heavy seas, and gale. 

some say the safe return was due, to skills at helm and sail. 

They say the captain, brave and true, steered through the mountainous waves,

and kept them all from drowning deaths, and lonesome, watery graves. 

Three cheers they called, lets lift him high, and carry ‘im down the plank, 

and show him heart-felt gratitude, in honor of his rank. 

But the Captain waved their praises off, with head bowed to the ground, 

he asked if they would lend an ear, curious they gathered round. 

You see, my crew, it is quite true, I skipper you good men, 

but I do not control the waves, nor direct the savage wind. 

It’s He, the master mariner, who kept us from the grave, 

and held us in his hallowed hand, it’s He, ‘’mighty to save.’’     Alma 34:18 

And as your Captain, whom you hold, in highest of esteem, 

I must confess, amid redress, I’m not quite what I seem. 

You see, I am ashamed to say, for some time I’ve been lost, 

and drifted on the sea of life, alone, and tempest-tossed. 

But after all sad wanderings, I’m fi-nal-ly at ease,

because a mate showed me the way, I was His  “least of these.”    Mathew 25:40 

He cradled me in kindness and, shared with me His love, 

He guided me, o’er treacherous sea, and blessed me from above.  

And now my eyes are opened wide, and yes I see His light. 

No more to be a blinded guide, I look towards heavens height.     Mathew 15:14 

It wasn’t me who brought us through, but our Almighty Lord! 

So honor Him who lends us breath, it’s Him to look toward.       Mosiah 2:21 

.  .  .  .  .  .

So trust in Him, out on the deep, as you sail the briny breeze  .  .  .  .

and praise Him who’s “mighty to save” .  .  .  .  . and serve His  “least of these.” 

March 25, 2012  -  By J. Brad Chapman

Original Nautical Poetry: Stick To The Chart

The poem,"Stick to the Chart" has JESUS SAVIOR , PILOT ME playing in the background. Played on guitar by me.


Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.                                
                                  2nd Nephi 32:3



This nautical poem came from a true life experience. I was captaining a 100 passenger high-speed ferry from Sitka, Alaska to Victoria, BC, where it would be loaded on a freighter for Miami, Florida. From Miami I would pilot it up the eastern seaboard to New York Harbor for a company called New York Waterway. In Queen Charlotte Sound we ran into heavy fog and the poem started to sprout when my crewman asked me, "can you see where you're going?".  I carefully made my way through the sound by keeping a close watch on the nautical chart and the radar. I would see where the channel buoy was on the chart and then find it on the radar screen. It was slow going and tedious but it got us safely through the fog. My trusty binoculars where vital in order to locate the next marker buoy and keep on the correct course. Remember that maps are called charts in the nautical world.

Stick To The Chart

 By J. Brad Chapman

"Can you see where you're going?", he called to the bridge;

the fog was as thick as a curtain.

"Can't see a thing",  came the voice from the helm.

"I'll stick to the chart, that's for certain."

The chart gives directions to steer the ship true,

through dangerous shallows and gaps.

When sight is obscured, visibility gone,

we trust in the use of our maps.

Scriptures like maps , will show us the way,

through sheer rocky passes and storms.

They guide us safely through tempest and trial,

to where it is sheltered and warm.

Like the sure captain, do you stick to the chart,

when the course turns foggy and gray?

Or do you despair, when you cannot see,

and murmur and whine in dismay.

God grants us faith when we stick to the chart,

to weather the worst of the storms.

And He grants the spirit as we brace to the wind;

it comforts us, guides us, and warns.

So when sight's obstructed and you've drifting off-course,

and you can't see your way through the squall.

Look to the scriptures; the Charts of the Lord.

Be bold, show faith, and stand tall.

And if ever you ask, "which way do I go?",

when the course is obscured, dim and gray.

Grip tight to the chart, and sail out in the wind;

God's already charted the way!

JESUS  SAVIOR PILOT ME
John Edgar Gould (1822 - 1875)

Jesus Savior,  pilot me,
Over life's tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach'rous shoal.
Chart and compass come from Thee.
Jesus Savior, pilot me.

As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boist'rous waves obey Thy will
When Thou sayest to them, "Be still!"
Wondrous Sovereign of the sea,
Jesus Savior,  pilot me.

When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
'Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
"Fear not, I will pilot thee."

Original Nautical Poetry: The Mariner's Question

This is a poem that I wrote on May 3rd, 2000. I
wrote it after reading an article in the magazine PROFESSIONAL MARINER. The article was called "THE BILGE PUMP : A LIFESAVER".

The similarity between a bilge pump and the Savior came to me in the words of this poem.

The Mariner's Question

By J. Brad Chapman

What's the gear or rigging, that a grand old sailing ship,

would have as thee most useful thing aboard?

Ponder now the question, 'bout the mighty sailing ships,

until the answer's thoroughly explored.

Would it be the glamorous sail, stretched tightly in the wind?

For without sail there'd be no forward motion.

Or would it be the helm, standing stately on the bridge?

For lacking wheel she'd roam all ore' the ocean.

Could it be the sheets that link the sailor to the sail,

to keep the tell-tails smooth and none a-flutter?

Or would it be the rigid mast that holds the billowed sail,

or be the ship's direction-giving rudder?

All these are important, and they serve their usefulness,

when she's sailing fast and steady in the groove.

But other circumstances make us see things differently,

and in ways we've never known our hearts are moved.

You see, when a sailing ship, in heavy seas and wind,

hits rocky shoal with screech and ghastly thump,

the most important items go from rudder, sheet, and sail,

and become the meek and lowly ol' bilge pump.

Sinking men in sinking ships will cry and curse and plead,

to keep them from the bottom of the sea.

But when they finally see beyond the glamor of the sail,

the pump becomes their life and sweat the fee.

The Savior's like a bilge pump, for blinded eyes will finally see, 

that He, too, is the only one that saves.

But we supply the muscle power to work the saving pump

to show faith in what the Savior freely gave.

So if you hit the rocky shoal out on the sea of life,

and foundering, cry out with fear and rage.

Think not the glamour of the sails, but lowly ol' bilge pump,

whose one and only purpose is to save.

So weigh the heavy anchor and with compass set your course,

with sheet in hand trim true the mighty sail.

Remember friend; sometime, somewhere, we'll hit the treacherous shoals,

but the Savior's life was spent to help us bail!

Sailing Terms

Sheet: In sailing, a sheet is a line used to control the movable corner of a sail.

To Bail: To remove water from a boat by hand, bucket, or pump.

Tell-tale: a piece of yarn or fabric attached to a sail. It is used as a guide to trim the sail. If the tell-tale is still, the air movement across the sail is efficient. If it flutters, it is not efficient. 

A photo of a tell-tale.

To Founder: to sink.

Original Music and Photography: The Unequivocal Beauty Of A Tidepool

Press here to go to youtube:
https://youtu.be/Tk42bCY24pk

The photographs were taken in Sitka, Alaska in August of 2011, at a place on Japonski Island called John Brown's beach.
The music was composed sometime in the 70's, and was originally entitled,  "Ocean Spray."
Photos and Music by J. Brad Chapman.
jbradchap@gmail.com

The photos were taken on a very rare sunny day. Days like this made the multitude of gloomy, gray, drizzly days worth it.

Our family lived in Sitka, Alaska from April of 1995 to August of 2007.

Original Nautical Poem: Watertight Integrity

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Watertight Integrity

One day as I prepared to take passengers out on a whale watching excursion in Sitka Sound in Alaska, I opened the bow void hatch as part of a routine checklist and was surprised to see that the void was filled with 50 or 60 gallons of sea water. After pumping the seawater out of the void I was happy to see that the vessel handled much better. Water had been leaking in from the rain because of a worn out seal. Undetected sea water in a void is a very serious thing and can lead to disaster. I checked my voids more often after that incident.

Several years ago I was checking the Coast Guard safety alerts and I found the following.

Right click on the article for easier reading.

Several years ago on a christian radio station I heard a Pastor talk about Watertight Integrity and personal integrity and it really impressed me. The following poem was born from that radio program but quite a few years later.

Proverbs 12:22

Lying lips are abomination to the Lord:

but they that deal truly are his delight.

May we keep our hatches dogged tight and our bilges dry is my prayer . . . . .

Original Nautical Poem: The Sea And The Soul

By J. Brad Chapman

2^nd Nephi 18:21   .  .  .  and after I had prayed, the wind did cease,

and the storms did cease, and there was a great calm  .  .  .

The Mariner's Dictionary - By Gershom Bradford

Sea Calming Oil:

Oil used for spreading on the sea in heavy weather to prevent or reduce the breaking crests. Vegetable or fish oils are better than mineral oils for this purpose. It was used as early as the 5^th century.

Oil Bag:

A contrivance from which oil is allowed to drip slowly and spread on the surface of the sea in order to form a slick and reduce the seas.

When the sailors of old plied the wide, open deep,

in tempests of trea-cherous degree,

with fierce rage in the wind, and dark fear in their hearts,

they sought ways to calm the rough sea.

It’s the spindrift that blows from the crest of the waves

that blinds eyes, causing brave men to fret,

and the breakers that roll o’er the storm-tossed deck,

washing men overboard - that’s the threat.

So,  .  . with a bag poked with holes, filled with oil that drips,

slowly coating the face of the sea,

it then causes the breakers and mist to subside

it affects surface tension, you see.

Now men through the ages have diligently sought

to quell the harsh seas of this life,

by reducing the sadness, the troubles, the hate,

the evil; so pervasive and rife.

Turbulent, buffeted, tormented, distressed,

these are words of the sea and the soul.

but there‘s a solution, like spreading the oil,

that helps soothe, comfort and console.

Prayer is the tool, that God-fearing men use,

to put joy and peace in their lives,

like sea-calming oil, which coating the soul

 lessens the hardships and strife.

          The effectual prayer of a righteous man, (James 5:16)

availeth much, so you see,

a just, upright life, that is moral and pure,

           is a heart-felt prayer’s best guarantee.  (D & C  100:15)

So, .  .  . kneel down on the deck, with firm grip on the rail,

 head bowed in meek humility,

remember that oft, life’s sore tempests and trials,

              prove our worthiness and sanctity.  (D & C 101:4)

          Yes, the prayer of the righteous, is His delight, (Proverbs 15:8)

 so scanning this life’s ruckus sea,

pray to the Father with real intent,

            you’ll “endure well”  storms  He may decree.  (D & C 121:8)

(Psalms 107: 23-31)

             He’ll strengthen you, guide you, and cause you to stand,  

 on the voyages you choose to embark,

He’ll steer you ‘round obstacles and treacherous shoals,

if to His charts (the scriptures) you’ll hark.

So,  .  .  . with stout-hearted  Amen, resolve now to “sail on”,

with prayer - like oil, smoothing the sea.

Square your shoulders to windward, like a brave mariner:

      Destination? . . . Eternity!  (Moses 1:39)