Old Polina
Encyclopedia
Old Polina is a traditional Newfoundland folk song. It is most likely based on the ship Polynia, built in 1861, of the Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Company fleet. The Polynia was commanded by Captain William Guy from 1883 to 1891, when it was sunk by ice in Davis Strait
. This song is similar to another song called The Balaena, about another whaler.
, the Terra Nova
, and the Husky, are all ships from the Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Company fleet. The Aurora was the ship that rescued the crew of the Polynia in 1891 when it sunk. Art Jackman, Mullins, and Fairweather were a couple of the captains of the ships at that time. There are records of a Captain Fairweather in command of the Balaena (mentioned in 1894 and 1896), an Alex Fairweather in command of the Terra Nova (1885-1893), and a J. Fairweather for the Aurora (1882-1886).
This song has been published in a number of song books, including the 1955 edition of Gerald S. Doyle's Old-Time Songs and Poetry of Newfoundland, as well as Paul Mercer's Newfoundland Songs and Ballads in Print 1842-1974 and Michael Taft's A Regional Discography of Newfoundland and Labrador 1904-1972 both available from Memorial University.
was built in 1876, and was a whaling ship until 1910, when it was bought by Douglas Mawson
for a scientific expedition to Antarctica from 1911 to 1914. It disappeared, with all hands, in 1918.
The whaling ship Terra Nova
was built in 1884, but was used for Antarctic exploration between 1894 and 1913. She returned to the Newfoundland seal fishery from 1913, until 1943, when she sank off the coast of Greenland. The crew was rescued by a US Coastguard ship.
Davis Strait
Davis Strait is a northern arm of the Labrador Sea. It lies between mid-western Greenland and Nunavut, Canada's Baffin Island. The strait was named for the English explorer John Davis , who explored the area while seeking a Northwest Passage....
. This song is similar to another song called The Balaena, about another whaler.
Background story
Every year, the whaling fleet would sail from Dundee, Scotland to Newfoundland, there to pick up men to hunt the whales. Since the first ships to make it to Newfoundland would be able to pick the most experienced men, it became a bit of a competition to see who could make it in the fastest time. The other ships named in the song, the Arctic, the AuroraAurora (ship)
SY Aurora was a steam yacht built by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd. shipbuilders in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1876, for the Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Company. Her primary use was whaling in the northern seas, and she was built sturdily enough to withstand the heavy weather and ice that would be...
, the Terra Nova
Terra Nova (ship)
The Terra Nova was built in 1884 for the Dundee whaling and sealing fleet. She worked for 10 years in the annual seal fishery in the Labrador Sea, proving her worth for many years before she was called upon for expedition work.Terra Nova was ideally suited to the polar regions...
, and the Husky, are all ships from the Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Company fleet. The Aurora was the ship that rescued the crew of the Polynia in 1891 when it sunk. Art Jackman, Mullins, and Fairweather were a couple of the captains of the ships at that time. There are records of a Captain Fairweather in command of the Balaena (mentioned in 1894 and 1896), an Alex Fairweather in command of the Terra Nova (1885-1893), and a J. Fairweather for the Aurora (1882-1886).
This song has been published in a number of song books, including the 1955 edition of Gerald S. Doyle's Old-Time Songs and Poetry of Newfoundland, as well as Paul Mercer's Newfoundland Songs and Ballads in Print 1842-1974 and Michael Taft's A Regional Discography of Newfoundland and Labrador 1904-1972 both available from Memorial University.
Recordings
There are a number of recordings of this song available, including:- Trade Winds, recorded by Omar BlondahlOmar BlondahlOmar Blondahl, , also known as "Sagebrush Sam", was a musician who became fascinated with the largely unrecorded folk songs of Newfoundland, Canada, and became famous for popularizing them....
- Another Time - The Songs of Newfoundland, recorded by Fergus O'ByrneFergus O'ByrneFergus O'Byrne is an Irish-Canadian folk musician, best known as a member of the popular Irish-Newfoundland band trio Ryan's Fancy, and as a banjo, concertina and bodhrán player.-Biography:O'Byrne was born in Dublin, Ireland...
(of Ryan's FancyRyan's FancyRyan’s Fancy was a musical group active from the 1960s until the 1980s, all three of whose members were Irish immigrants to Canada.-Early years:...
fame) (19911991 in musicSee also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
) - Newfoundland, recorded by Mark Hiscock on an album with Chris Andrews (both of ShanneyganockShanneyganockShanneyganock is folk-based band from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.Loosely translated from Gaelic, their name means "creature of the night". Their music is heavily Irish/Celtic influenced....
fame) - The Hard and the EasyThe Hard and the EasyThe Hard and The Easy is an album by Great Big Sea. It was released on October 11, 2005 in Canada and October 25, 2005 in the US. It reached gold status by October 25, 2005....
, by Great Big SeaGreat Big SeaGreat Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
(20052005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
)
Lyrics
- There’s a noble fleet of whalers a-sailing from Dundee,
- Manned by British sailors to take them o’er the sea.
- On a western ocean passage we started on the trip.
- We flew along just like a song in our gallant whaling ship.
- ‘Twas the second Sunday morning, just after leaving port,
- We met a heavy Sou’west gale that washed away our boat.
- It washed away our quarterdeck, our stanchions just as well,
- And so we sent the whole shebang a-floating in the gale.
- CHORUS :
- For the wind was on her quarter and the engine’s working free.
- There’s not another whaler that sails the Arctic Sea
- Can beat the Old Polina, you need not try, my sons,
- For we challenged all both great and small from Dundee to St. John’s.
- Art Jackman set his canvas, Fairweather got up steam,
- But Captain Guy, the daring boy, came plunging through the stream.
- And Mullins in the Husky tried to beat the blooming lot,
- But to beat the Old Polina was something he could not.
- CHORUS
- There’s the noble Terra Nova, a model without doubt.
- The Arctic and Aurora they talk so much about.
- Art Jackman’s model mailboat, the terror of the sea,
- Tried to beat the Old Polina on a passage from Dundee.
- CHORUS
- And now we’re back in old St. John’s where rum is very cheap.
- So we’ll drink a health to Captain Guy who brought us o’er the deep.
- A health to all our sweethearts and to our wives so fair.
- Not another ship could make the trip but the Polina I declare.
The Other Ships
The AuroraAurora (ship)
SY Aurora was a steam yacht built by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd. shipbuilders in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1876, for the Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Company. Her primary use was whaling in the northern seas, and she was built sturdily enough to withstand the heavy weather and ice that would be...
was built in 1876, and was a whaling ship until 1910, when it was bought by Douglas Mawson
Douglas Mawson
Sir Douglas Mawson, OBE, FRS, FAA was an Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer and Academic. Along with Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton, Mawson was a key expedition leader during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.-Early work:He was appointed geologist to an...
for a scientific expedition to Antarctica from 1911 to 1914. It disappeared, with all hands, in 1918.
The whaling ship Terra Nova
Terra Nova (ship)
The Terra Nova was built in 1884 for the Dundee whaling and sealing fleet. She worked for 10 years in the annual seal fishery in the Labrador Sea, proving her worth for many years before she was called upon for expedition work.Terra Nova was ideally suited to the polar regions...
was built in 1884, but was used for Antarctic exploration between 1894 and 1913. She returned to the Newfoundland seal fishery from 1913, until 1943, when she sank off the coast of Greenland. The crew was rescued by a US Coastguard ship.