With the shanty, sailors through the centuries had a trick up their sleeves in how to lighten workloads and pass the time during many isolated months at sea.

Gary Jones sat down with Ports, Past and Present to share his knowledge about songs of the sea. He talks about the difference between ballads and sea shanties and how the latter helped sailors with their backbreaking work as much as contribute to the social life on a sailing ship during extended periods at sea.