[Junk Box Nick]

Ahhh... Dogger, Fisher, German Bight aroused much curiosity in me as a child. WWII was not long over so this German Bite did seem a little worrying. Then there was all this rising and falling slowly stuff. To the curiosity of others I used to able to recite the sea areas in order...

The names were fascinating and mysterious and it wasn't until travelling on a cross-channel ferry in the 1980s that, in those pre-internet days, I saw for the first time where they were all located - there was a framed map on a wall.

I can remember the Minches and did wonder what happened to them or whether they were a figment of my imagination - I wasn't dreaming, wikipedia reveals all!

I missed Finisterre when it became Fitzroy but this was done with good reason.

Also I remember North Utsire and South Utsire arriving and wondered what they replaced. Seems they simply took a bite out of Viking.

Met Eirann do their own version of the Shipping Forecast just before midnight on RTE 1 252kHz - interesting to compare.

The SF was always comforting in a odd sort of way. Can't help feeling that time's not far from up for this feature of broadcasting.