One fine September day in pre-COVID times, the Coupeville Ferry took off for Port Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival. People left their vehicles and clambered up to the passenger deck, which was soon crowded with festivalgoers, commuters, and vacationers—travelers of all sorts. 

In the middle of the crowd, a group of men assembled. They stood out not only because of their identical striped shirts, but also their rather boisterous camaraderie and ready laughter. A few of them were carrying musical instruments. The other passengers eyed the group of men surreptitiously. But some had seen this group before and knew what was about to happen.

An accordion struck a note, a banjo rang out, and a chorus of male voices filled the large cabin with a rousing sea shanty. At first, some of the passengers tried to ignore the musical outburst, while others were thrilled with the harmonious intrusion and heartily applauded the singers after the last notes of their first song had faded. Before long, all the passengers were won over, smiling as they joined in on the infectious musical energy. It felt like no one was a stranger anymore.

The Shifty Sailors had struck again. That scenario has played out throughout the more than three-decade history of the group. The Shifty Sailors were a hit from their very first concert in 1993 when the Island County Historical Society asked Vern Olsen to form an ad hoc group to promote a book launch for Sails, Steamships and Sea Captains—the society’s book about the history of early settlements, trade, and transportation throughout Island County. A previous attempt to generate interest had floundered. But this time, with Olsen’s new musical group providing entertainment, book sales grew exponentially. 

“To date “the Shifties,” have performed hundreds of concerts. In that time, they have entertained thousands of fans and have had more adventures than they could have imagined over 30 years ago when they were a fledgling group.”

That success and the crowd’s reaction to their music encouraged Olsen’s recruits to request he continue, to which he agreed. A musician and music teacher from a very musical family, Olsen began researching songs, scoring them, and building a repertoire of old sailing songs. The bookings followed, and the group was soon playing all around the island and the Puget Sound. 

To date “the Shifties,” as they often refer to themselves, have performed hundreds of concerts. In that time, they have entertained thousands of fans and have had more adventures than they could have imagined over 30 years ago when they were a fledgling group. The members come from various walks of life, white and blue collar, and with differing levels of musical backgrounds, from professional to amateur. They have toured in at least a dozen European countries, on Vancouver Island, Hawaii, and both the East and West Coast of the United States. When they talk about those adventures, their eyes shine with the memories. 

For member Jim Lightner, who joined the group in 2005, it’s hard to pick a favorite highlight. “The fourth international tour when we went to Prague was incredible,” he said. “We played for their 2010 International Shanty Fest. There were five bands from Germany, two from Holland, one from Finland, and there were two guys from New Zealand. We sang ‘Roll Out the Barrel’ in Czech!” 

Retired pediatrician Bob Wagner, affectionately known around the island as Dr. Bob, joined the Shifties in the early years. He was one of the Bergen Six—the Shifties who went to Norway on their first international tour in 2001. Olsen’s cousin, who lived in Bergen, had called and asked Olsen to bring them to his city for the Tall Ships festival that was just three weeks away. 

“Vern’s cousin knocked himself out [to accommodate the group],” Wagner said. “And the people of Bergen welcomed us. We were invited to the mayor’s office. There were 100,000 people who attended that festival and the town was crowded with people.” 

He recalls busking in the booth-lined streets there. They chose a spot in front of a booth of a man selling strips of herring. “He called himself the Sild King, or Herring King,” said Wagner. “And he appreciated that we were drawing crowds of people around his booth. He would feed us herring strips, holding them up over one man’s mouth while the rest of the group kept singing.” 

Olsen is now 85 and has suffered hearing loss, one of the main reasons he passed the baton to Lightner in 2023. His eyes moisten as he tells the stories of his three decades leading the group. 

“Music has been my life,” he said. “And leading the Shifty Sailors has been one of the highlights.” 

To learn more about the Shifty Sailors, visit shiftysailors.net.