Canberra may not be near the coastline but that doesn't mean we don't have salt in our souls.
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Perhaps you've heard such souls during an evening at the Old Canberra Inn. You might've even dismissed them as a rowdy group of drunkards, or perhaps the whimsical internal soundtrack of your mind. But it's a co-ordinated effort.
Every second Monday, the Canberra Shanty Club meets in the back of the Old Canberra Inn to sing. About 35 to 45 usually people show up, and that number is growing.
"It's about singing as a group, nothing has to be perfect. The shanties are rough, easy to pick up and follow a repetitive rhythm," organiser Ewan Lawrie says.
"Of course we all like a beer, so meeting in a pub helps.
"We try to encourage people to come in and join. We always see people walk past and poke their head in looking very confused."
Historically, shanties were about maintaining sanity at sea, about survival. The songs strengthened the bonds of a crew and provided a much-needed distraction from the physical toil of months at sea.
"These songs were sung by large crews who had to kill time and essentially make life easier," Lawrie says.
"If you were on a ship, you'd call the leader of the ship the 'shanty man'. So you can call me that if you like."
Modern life in Canberra might not exactly have many commonalities with such an era - "You'll never hear the songs we sing on the Triple J Hottest 100," Lawrie says - but the human need to connect, to experience something as a group, remains the same.
And that's even if you don't like singing.
"You have to come along - it's a massive release of endorphins," Lawrie says.
"Everyone likes to make noise. It's high-energy. Stamping your feet and clapping your hands.
"I wanna say it: everyone loves singing. Many are just too intimidated to do it in public.
There are other shanty clubs around the country. They're small in number, but Lawrie knows of "half a dozen". There's even an International Folk and Shanty Festival happening in Albany this April.
So, will the Canberra gang be road tripping - or perhaps commandeering a sailing vessel - to attend?
Nay, it coincides with the National Folk Festival in Canberra, where it all began back in 2017.
"A group of us ... hit it off at the late-night singing sessions and found a love of sea shanties," Lawrie says.
Their first public gathering took place in December that year.
"Singing makes you happy. At the shanty club, you can come along and meet people you wouldn't otherwise get to meet. People from all walks of life," Lawrie says.
"And it's fun! Plus you don't have to do any sport."
