The Shipping Forecast: England’s Bedtime Lullaby
Good, Occasionally Rhyming is a selection of poetry and writing about the Shipping Forecast, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first BBC broadcast.
And now, the Shipping Forecast issued by the Met Office
Often described as the nation’s bedtime lullaby, the Shipping Forecast has long been a favourite listen in homes on chilly evenings, even if you’re nowhere near the sea and don’t sail a boat.
The precise reading of marine weather around the British Isles has often been forgotten, by those who instead value the gentle rhythm and curious wording as a charming way to induce relaxation and sleep.
The 31 areas take us on a virtual voyage that starts with the Shetland Isles and Norway, zig-zags down the North Sea, scoots west along the English Channel, sails by the coast of France, Spain and Portugal, via both sides of Ireland, up to the west coast of Scotland and even as far as Iceland.
Forties, Dogger, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight. These words speak to us like a spell, nonsensical in their substance, but enchanting in their delivery.
Since it first broadcast in 1925, the Shipping Forecast has captured the nation’s heart. This is a love letter from Britain’s literary landscape, to this iconic radio broadcast.
That’s the end of this shipping bulletin.
Moderate Becoming Good Later is a deeply moving story about one man who attempts to sea kayak the areas of the BBC Shipping Forecast, familiar to anyone who grew up listening to BBC Radio 4.
Often described as the national lullaby, the shipping forecast is a source of dependability and calm in an often chaotic world.
And has charmed millions of listeners, and aided generations of seafarers across the decades:
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west. Weather. Rain or showers, perhaps becoming thundery. Visibility: good, occasionally poor. Fair Isle..
No stranger to weathering a storm (after living with a rare life-limiting medical condition, architect, lecturer and kayaker Toby sets out to explore the areas of the Forecast.
Taking him to the both tranquil and harsh teas, he finds the real people, places and stories behind the familiar names and imagined environments: and along the way discovers what anchors us to each other.
The book is written by Toby’s sister from his extensive notes and recordings, after his untimely death from liver cancer age just 40.
This is both an epic (sometimes choppy) adventure with old friends and new, plenty of wildlife and the ever-present sea.
What a special book. A manifesto for living, loving and laughing, whatever life’s storms and forecasts bring.
A guide for us all, whether we are embarking on voyages of our choosing, or dealing with waves and storms dealt us. Sarah Outen
Katie Annice Carr is an artist and university lecturer. After the death of her brother, she decided to finish telling his story that he so clearly wanted to share after finding extensive notes of his trip.
She lives in Barcelona, Spain.
The History of the BBC Shipping Forecast
The Shipping Forecast provides vital weather info for 31 sea areas surrounding the British Isles. Including wind speed and direction, visibility, atmospheric pressure and sea state. A valuable toolkit for sailors.
First aired in 1861, it was conceived by Robert FitzRoy, the founding force of modern meteorology. Today, satellites, buoys, and weather stations all play a part in collecting this information. It airs four times daily, and is also now accessible online and with apps.
