We Moved the Mark

[Verse 1] You called from the breakwater, just after the tide With a chart full of numbers and a grin you couldn't hide Said the channel marker's drifting, says the harbor master’s right But you found a line of silver where the old one used to bite [Pre-Chorus] We took the skiff past the ferry wake You held the compass steady while the gulls turned wide [Chorus] We’ll move the mark, let the whole bay know Where the deep water bends and the safe boats go By morning every captain will be reading it true And the coast will have a better way through We’ll move the mark, though the charts take time A little brass and paint can redraw a line When the next boat comes in under a lowering sun They’ll find the way because of what we’ve done [Verse 2] At the shoal, you leaned over, called the depth aloud I drove the post down while the current pulled us south Your old surveyor’s pencil tucked behind your ear You said, “it’s not a grand thing, but it matters out here” [Pre-Chorus] By noon the harbor launch came by The skipper tipped his cap as he went gliding through [Chorus] We’ll move the mark, let the whole bay know Where the deep water bends and the safe boats go By morning every captain will be reading it true And the coast will have a better way through We’ll move the mark, though the charts take time A little brass and paint can redraw a line When the next boat comes in under a lowering sun They’ll find the way because of what we’ve done [Bridge] Years from now, some kid on a night run Will pass that marker like it’s always been there Never know the two of us out on the water With salt on our sleeves and the whole bay to spare [Final chorus] We moved the mark, let the whole bay know Where the deep water bends and the safe boats go By morning every captain was reading it true And the coast had a better way through We moved the mark, though the charts take time A little brass and paint can redraw a line When the next boat comes in under a lowering sun They’ll find the way because of what we’ve done [Outro] They’ll find the way They’ll find the way because of what we’ve done