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Regulars flock to a Connecticut inn each Monday to listen and sing. It’s been 50 years — and counting.

From the darkness of a tavern in Essex, Conn., the first lines of the maritime folk song “Old Maui” cut through the bar chatter: “It’s a damn tough life full of toil and strife we whalermen undergo/ And we don’t give a damn when the day is done how hard the winds did blow.”

When it came time for the chorus, almost everyone joined in.

“Rolling down to Old Maui, rolling down to Old Maui,” they sang. “We’re homeward bound from the Arctic ground, rolling down to Old Maui.”

The centuries-old harmonies overlapped, swelling to the corners of the original ceiling. Dozens of patrons stomped on the uneven wooden floorboards as they sang, sloshing Guinness over the rims of their pint glasses.

“It just gets the cobwebs out of your soul,” said Kitsie Reeves, 68, a former flight attendant who has loved sea music for decades. “It’s like a porthole into the past.”

Ms. Reeves is among dozens of regulars who come to the Griswold Inn almost every Monday night for music by the Jovial Crew, a maritime band that has performed here for decades. The folk musicians — and their fans — sing songs that grow increasingly lusty as the moon rises and bar tabs lengthen.

The music is beautiful — arrestingly so. But participants also seek out a sense of community and a weekly ritual.

“It’s like church for people,” Amanda Bunce, 38, said.

Ms. Bunce, an ecologist, has come almost every week for 18 years. During the pandemic, when the inn closed, the weeks lost their structure, she said.

“Since they opened back up, I almost haven’t missed a Monday,” she said, adding, “I felt like I needed that time marker.”

Sea chanteys (also spelled “sea shanties”) are just one form of maritime folk music, although they have come to stand for the entire genre. Back when ships were powered by wind and human biceps alone, these rhythmic tunes helped sailors haul rope in unison.

In early 2021, before Covid-19 vaccines were made widely available, one maritime song, “The Wellerman,” was an unlikely hit online. Singers sang duets, their harmonies rising across the internet as people turned to TikTok for refuge from lockdowns and short winter days.

But the maritime music tradition in Essex goes back decades.

For more than 50 years, devotees have come to hear Cliff Haslam, the lead singer, croon songs of the sea. In the mid-1980s, his solo act expanded, becoming the Jovial Crew.

Each week, they play at the Griswold Inn, known locally as the Gris, which is hung with American flags. It was established in 1776 and stands at the end of Main Street in Essex, a historic town of fewer than 7,000 people on the Connecticut River.

“People still come to listen,” said Mr. Haslam, his British accent still uncut after decades of living in the United States. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be doing it.”

This summer has been especially busy: Recently, the musicians had to start limiting the number of attendees, after the fire marshal started poking around the crowded bar.

For those who make it inside — longtime sea chantey fans as well as a more recent crowd of millennials — Monday evenings can get rowdy. In song after song, the landlubbers yip and stomp. Sometimes, they pretend to work together, hauling an invisible rope on beat. It’s like a “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” screening — but set on a whaling ship.

“When I describe this place to people, it’s ‘my Gris family,’” said Hillary Clifton, a 33-year-old high school science teacher who first came to chantey night as a child with her father.

Each week, her dad got the same thing: two Guinnesses, then a coffee. A longtime waitress — Lynn Ann Baldi, who celebrated her 60th birthday there on Labor Day — knew his order by heart.

“I left for like, five years — I moved to a different state,” Ms. Clifton said. “And when I came back, I felt like I was home again.”

Shawn Mulcahy, 34, who was leaning against the bar at the Gris on a recent Monday night, was in town for just five days: He had moved to California a few years ago, after spending five years as a regular.

“I don’t even like boats,” he said, laughing, as he dropped a $2 bill in the collection bucket. “I don’t like the ocean.”

But he wouldn’t miss this for anything. Out West, he plays chanteys on his own, nearly every Monday night, on a mandolin.

“It’s got a lot of nostalgia, wrapped in a bow,” he said.

Over the past 52 years, the band has expanded and changed. They have played through at least two hurricanes, lighting candles when the power dropped. They play when friends die, letting chanteys become dirges. They even play at weddings: At least three marriages have been born from conversations that started in the audience.

“They are our oldest act, and probably the longest-running tradition that we have,” said Joan Paul, a co-owner of the inn.

Chanteys are only one part of the maritime genre. The Jovial Crew also sings ballads and mournful whaling songs.

“We’re emotional historians,” said Michael Hotkowski, 33, a member of the band. “If you’re a good folk singer, you need to understand the emotional history.”

That’s the point of folk music, he said. It’s a time capsule of feeling.

“You can’t bottle that emotion up and look at it in a museum,” he said.

Maritime music has had an international following for decades. It has kept a foothold in the northeastern United States, too. Recently, the Connecticut Sea Music Festival migrated from Mystic, home of the seaport, to Essex, home of the Gris. And interest has expanded in the past decade or so, experts said.

Partially, that’s thanks to “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag,” a popular pirate video game from 2013 that used maritime music as its soundtrack. Then, “The Wellerman” rang out across TikTok.

“I think this appeals a lot to young people who are, in many ways, having fewer and fewer outlets for social participation in a kind of casual way,” said Joe Maurer, a lecturer in ethnomusicology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who researches maritime music.

The Jovial Crew is not interested in the social media revival — or “The Wellerman.”

It’s a little bit like asking an Irish band to play “Danny Boy,” said Joseph Morneault, a band member. Or, maybe, like expecting a country music artist to play “Cotton Eye Joe.”

In fact, if someone requested the song, the band would politely decline.

“We in the sea music field don’t like being boxed into always having to sing ‘Drunken Sailor,’” he said. “It just gets to be an irritant. We do all these great songs, and all you want to hear is ‘Wellerman’?”

Some songs are Connecticut-specific: the shad runs, the Sound. Others, especially some Colonial-era tunes, are impressively raunchy. (“Think of our founding fathers singing this song,” Mr. Morneault joked, right before starting one especially suggestive verse.)

Many are tough. Women cheat. Ships sink. Friends die.

That’s kind of the point, said Ms. Reeves, the longtime fan who is Mr. Morneault’s housemate. The songs are rough around the edges because life was rough around the edges.

After three sets, and many pints of Guinness, the musicians — and their fans — drain their drinks and settle up. Audience members help the Jovial Crew load their instruments into their cars.

“See you next week,” they say.

And most will, said Will Jakubiak, 31, a regular.

“The shtick is: Every Monday is practice for next Monday night,” he said, “and that Monday for the following Monday. So if you mess up, it’s OK.”

If you would like to start listening to maritime music, the musicians and experts quoted in this story suggested a few songs. Here is a playlist:

A correction was made on

Sept. 18, 2023

:

An earlier version of this story included an incorrect description of the location of Essex, Conn. It is on the Connecticut River, not Long Island Sound.

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Volunteering is a wonderful way to give back and get involved in your community. Fortunately for folks in the Essex-Chester-Deep River area, there’s no shortage of organizations nearby that would love to have your help.

Here are five outstanding volunteer organizations in the Essex-Chester-Deep River area.

1. The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries: This soup kitchen and pantry provides food and fellowship to those in need in the Essex area with daily meal sites and weekly pantry services. Volunteers are needed to hold a food drive or donate food to the pantry. Learn more at shorelinesoupkitchens.org.

2. Valley Shore Animal Welfare League: This animal shelter was founded upon an increased need for animal programs along the Connecticut shoreline. Volunteers are needed to handle daily operations, play with and feed the animals and clean the facility. You can also help by fostering an animal. Learn more at valleyshoreanimalwelfareleague.org.

3. United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut: This non-profit organization provides opportunities for people living with all types of disabilities, not just Cerebral Palsy. You can help support the mission by donating, participating in events like the Annual Golf Tournament, or helping around the campus with property maintenance or participating in activities. Learn more at ucpect.org.

4. South East Connecticut Community Center of the Blind: A community center that was founded on the mission of bringing blind and visually impaired persons together for social and recreational opportunities. Volunteers are needed to provide transportation services at the center and participate in advocacy work for the community. Learn more at centeroftheblind.com.

5. New London Homeless Hospitality Center: The Homeless Hospitality Center welcomes adults facing homelessness in southeastern Connecticut. There are many ways to volunteer including food service, welcome desk support and even hosting a workshop if you have a special skill you would like to share with guests. Learn more at nlhhc.org.

Do you know of another volunteer organization in Essex-Chester-Deep River that should be recognized? Let us know about it in the comments!

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ESSEX – The Planning and Zoning Commission overwhelmingly rejected a developer’s proposal to allow multifamily housing on several properties in Essex’s main residential zone, saying they want to be the ones driving efforts to diversify housing in town.

Aiming to build a partially ”affordable” townhouse complex off Saybrook Road, Greylock Properties petitioned the commission to change the regulations in the Rural Residence District – which covers most of Essex – to allow multifamily housing on certain properties. The rules would have applied to three buildable properties in town.

But after two unusually packed public hearings where residents pleaded to preserve the character of the town’s single-family neighborhoods, the commission voted 6-1 to reject Greylock’s proposal.

Commissioner Mark Reeves said the proposal was a major change to how housing could be built in Essex, noting that the new regulations would apply to about 131 acres. Under the current regulations, about 65 homes could be built on that amount of land, he said, while the new rules would have allowed up to 262 units. Most of those properties would empty onto Main Street in the Centerbrook neighborhood.

“This is more than just a text amendment that’s going to impact people in a minor way and they can go about their business without any problems,” Reeves said.

Reeves said they want to make it possible for young people and those without high incomes to buy homes in the area, but argued that the 20 percent of units designated “affordable” under the proposed regulation is actually more “moderate income” housing.

He suggested the commission draft its own regulations to promote multifamily housing in a way that fits what locals want: To keep Essex a small town.

“Right now, we are responding to an application from a developer, and it is an application for a text amendment that covers multiple properties,” Reeves said. “The truth is, that amendment is written for his purposes, not for our purposes.”

Commissioner David Rosengren was the single vote against rejecting the application, asking the group, “If not now, when?”

“We live in an aging community. We also live in a very high-income community,” Rosengren said. “It’s basically a retirement community, and if we don’t start changing that, if we don’t start adding opportunities for younger people with less opportunity to get into this community, [Essex] will essentially die. You can’t stand still.”

“Save Rural Essex” became the rallying call for residents opposed to Greylock’s proposal, with yellow lawn signs lining roads around town to show opposition. But Rosengren said Essex isn’t rural, it’s already a dense community.

Essex land use official Carey Duques said Greylock’s project wouldn’t lead to a major increase in housing density because a majority of homes are built on lots smaller than current regulations allow.

The single-family zone covering most of the town now requires 1.8 acres per home, but that was a change made around 2000. Before that, the town allowed smaller lots, which is why about 65 percent of homes are on “nonconforming” smaller lots, Duques said.

Commission Chair Russell Smith said he was on the Planning Commission when it raised the lot size to 1.8 acres. At the time, he said he was concerned about too much density, and raising the minimum lot size was meant to slow that down. He said he still has the same concerns.

“I’m in favor of just making sure that we adhere to 2-acre zoning and rural residential,” Smith said.

Commissioner Bob Day said the Essex’s Plan of Conservation and Development calls for more diverse and lower-cost housing, but that those efforts should be directed toward town centers.

After rejecting Greylock’s application, the commissioners voted 6-1 to create a subcommittee to explore how the commission could write its own affordable housing regulations. Rosengren, again, was the lone vote against the action.

“If we don’t do it now, when are we going to do this?” Rosengren reiterated. “My suggestion is, we’re not. Because what happens when you go for more discussions? Everything dies in committees.”

Brendan Crowley covers energy and the environment for CT Examiner. T: 860 598-0050

[email protected]

Just an hour away from New York City, in the beautiful spread of the Long Island Sound, lies a charming harbor town in Connecticut that has all you need for a day trip, including the most picturesque main street.

Welcome to Essex, CT! Whether you're looking for a quick stop or a longer stay, this quintessential New England village has something for everyone. This place has a charming colonial vibe felt through the quaint restaurants, unique shops, and stunning neighborhood streets.

Nestled on a small harbor, Essex is a waterfront area full of history you can see in the architecture of the three local villages of Ivoryton, Centerbrook, and Essex.

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Bring your walking shoes, as you could spend hours strolling down Essex's main street, where you'll find everything from antiques to homemade ice cream.

Who knows? You could find that perfect vintage knick-knack at an antique shop you've been waiting for, a stylish new outfit from a boutique like Emmy's on Main, or an awesome toy from Toys Ahoy! to remember your trip.

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If you're looking for a bite to eat, there are a few cozy inns to choose from. The Griswold Inn is a popular old spot serving up American cuisine with a side of history.

The Copper Beech Inn is another local favorite, known for its cozy atmosphere and delicious French-American menu.

The Essex Steam Train is another famous attraction in town with different experiences that take you on scenic rides throughout The Constitution State. Most popularly, the vintage train offers a scenic dinner ride along the Connecticut River with a four-course meal and alcoholic beverages.

We can't forget to mention the yearly Daffodil blooms that paint the entire town in sunny bright yellows for a month in the springtime — they make for a breathtaking sight during a stroll through peaceful Essex.

No matter what your plans are for your time exploring, the adorable waterfront city is sure to charm you with an unforgettable getaway.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

Los Charros Cantina is leaving its Essex address and relocating to Branford this spring, chef-owner Colt Taylor confirmed this week.

The restaurant specializing in traditional regional Mexican cuisine opened in 2018, first sharing the large Tudor-style building on Main Street with its sister restaurant The Essex.

In a letter to customers Tuesday, Taylor noted that the increased cost of business fueled the decision, saying the building in the hamlet of Centerbrook was "too large to maintain on its own in such a small enclave of a location."

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"It's become clear that the economics of our business [are] unsustainable in the current location, and have found a smaller space that is more cost-efficient," he wrote.

"At the end of the day, it's just rising food costs, rising labor costs, rising heating and electric costs...the cost to operate the restaurant outweighs the revenue of the location," Taylor said in a phone interview. "We're kind of left with very few options. Those options are to close up shop or relocate."

Taylor plans to re-open the eatery at 120 North Main Street in Branford, in the restaurant space vacated by Dragon East last summer. He hopes to open the latest iteration of Los Charros by April.

"For us, we believe in our concept. We love everything we've gone through to get to where Los Charros is...we need to make sure that the finances make sense," he said.

This isn't the first relocation for Taylor, as he moved The Essex, his fine-dining brand, from its original Centerbrook address to Old Saybrook's Main Street in December 2021. The Essex is doing "extremely well" at its new address, he said, and he's hoping to replicate that success in Branford, a town with larger population density.

The Main Street space has been through a lot of transition in nearly six years. Taylor first opened The Essex there in June 2017, bringing his New York and Miami culinary experience back to his hometown. The first vision for the restaurant was fine dining, he said, with a dynamic open kitchen and rotating tasting menus.

A little over a year later, looking to capture a wider dining audience, he introduced the Los Charros Cantina concept to the large space, a lively, modern Mexican street food restaurant with tacos, ceviche and tequila. As Los Charros took off, he sectioned off a designated area for The Essex's fine-dining service in the front part of the building.

But as the bar and open kitchen became dedicated to the "rowdy" Los Charros atmosphere, he said, efforts to block off The Essex area and control the noise level for its diners ended up diminishing the restaurant's energy. He began thinking about moving The Essex to another location, but the search would last nearly two years.

The evolution continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Taylor launched The Essex Public Market & Food Hall in the space in December 2020. He hired a team to handle multiple concepts under one roof: menus for Mexican fare, Italian pizza and meatballs, Asian cuisine with ramen, pho and sushi; and burgers and chicken sandwiches.

"It was geared toward takeout and delivery, and it was a wonderful thing," Taylor told Hearst Connecticut in 2021. "But after we went through it for a year, we reached the level of the labor crisis...it's just the number of extra people it takes for the food hall, and specially trained, like a sushi chef. It's hard to come across those positions."

Taylor made a decision: He'd shutter the food hall and focus on his two main brands, but concluded they could no longer occupy the same space. Los Charros would take over the entire building, and Taylor built a new horseshoe-shaped bar to accommodate more guests there.

About a month after The Essex landed in Old Saybrook, disaster struck at Los Charros, as burst pipes flooded the building in mid-January 2022. It took three months of cleanup and renovation to be able to partially re-open, Taylor said, and five months to fully restore the space.

Once Taylor decided to relocate Los Charros, he looked in towns like Mystic and Niantic, he said, but settled in Branford after speaking with his friend Jared Schulefand, the owner of Home Restaurant on Main Street.

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"We really love [the space] and we feel like it's a great home base for us to expand the concept a little bit more evenly," he said. "Hopefully we can look forward to growing from this space into [more] locations...[Jared] and I spoke and we feel like it's a really promising location."

The Branford location will have about 90 seats, he said, with a similar menu to the Centerbrook original, with options like specialty tacos and tostadas, build-your-own fajitas and samplers of various housemade salsas. The bar offers margaritas and other tequila cocktails, along with margarita and tequila flights.

"We'd like to be open by the end of April," Taylor said. "It's a pretty intense timeline, but if we can get it up sooner, then we will."