I left the city when just a lad.
Times was hard and no work to be had,
So I went to sea on the Flora Belle.
Little did I know 'twas a ship from hell.
The ship was old and leaking at the seams,
A dirty old tub, somewhat broad in the beam.
Its sails were torn. Some planks were rotten.
It lay at the wharf a-gently rockin'.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
We set sail on the evening tide.
It was early on a Saturday night.
All went well till the duty light,
And then, by God, I got a fright.
The ship was hit by a big beam sea.
Christ! I thought it's all up for me.
She rolled and she lolloped like a big tin drum.
Hell! I thought me time had come.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
"Shorten sails," the skipper cried.
"Shorten the sails or you b*****s will all die.
Get aloft, get aloft, get up the mast.
Get aloft, get aloft, and get up there fast."
Never in my life had I been so scared.
Never in my life had I wished I was dead.
But I climbed up the mast and I shortened sail,
I climbed down again and was sick o'er the rail.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
Man the pumps the skippered roared
Man the pumps or you'll see the ocean floor
So I pumped all night though my hands were raw
And I pumped and I pumped till the coming of the dawn.
How we survived that night, I don't know
The wind it did roar and the wind it did blow
But the sun came up, the sea went down
The wind it did ease and we headed south.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
For breakfast we had moldy bread
Lunch it was the very same fare
For supper we had a stinking stew
Cookie wouldn't eat his own d*** brew.
The skipper was an old man, old and mean
Tough as nails and just as lean
Voice like a foghorn in the gloom
When he cursed, 'twas the voice of doom
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
The work was hard and the pay was mean
The food was rotten and the quarters none too clean
The journey south was always rough
So I jumped the ship when we pulled into Bluff
So here in Bluff I've settled down
Never again will I leave this town
Never again will I go to sea
Never again will it see me
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
Times was hard and no work to be had,
So I went to sea on the Flora Belle.
Little did I know 'twas a ship from hell.
The ship was old and leaking at the seams,
A dirty old tub, somewhat broad in the beam.
Its sails were torn. Some planks were rotten.
It lay at the wharf a-gently rockin'.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
We set sail on the evening tide.
It was early on a Saturday night.
All went well till the duty light,
And then, by God, I got a fright.
The ship was hit by a big beam sea.
Christ! I thought it's all up for me.
She rolled and she lolloped like a big tin drum.
Hell! I thought me time had come.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
"Shorten sails," the skipper cried.
"Shorten the sails or you b*****s will all die.
Get aloft, get aloft, get up the mast.
Get aloft, get aloft, and get up there fast."
Never in my life had I been so scared.
Never in my life had I wished I was dead.
But I climbed up the mast and I shortened sail,
I climbed down again and was sick o'er the rail.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
Man the pumps the skippered roared
Man the pumps or you'll see the ocean floor
So I pumped all night though my hands were raw
And I pumped and I pumped till the coming of the dawn.
How we survived that night, I don't know
The wind it did roar and the wind it did blow
But the sun came up, the sea went down
The wind it did ease and we headed south.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
For breakfast we had moldy bread
Lunch it was the very same fare
For supper we had a stinking stew
Cookie wouldn't eat his own d*** brew.
The skipper was an old man, old and mean
Tough as nails and just as lean
Voice like a foghorn in the gloom
When he cursed, 'twas the voice of doom
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
The work was hard and the pay was mean
The food was rotten and the quarters none too clean
The journey south was always rough
So I jumped the ship when we pulled into Bluff
So here in Bluff I've settled down
Never again will I leave this town
Never again will I go to sea
Never again will it see me
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.
I've sailed from Auckland to the Bluff,
A thousand miles and that's enough--
A thousand miles on the heaving sea.
Glory Hal-le-lu-ia! That's enough for me.