It is very satisfying to lie in a warm cosy bed listening to the radio with my ear phones on.  After the latest instalment of the “Book of the Week”  the calming music of “Sailing by”  is followed by the shipping forecast.  “There are warnings of gales in Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire….” When the wind and rain might be battering on the windows it is comforting to know I am safe unlike those people sailing in Force 9 gales with poor visibility to deliver our imports and exports, catch our fish or keep us safe. 
Today marks 100 years of the shipping forecast for sailors in the seas around Britain covering 31 areas between Iceland, and the areas between Norway and Spain.  Four times a day it gives details of gale warnings in force, a general synopsis and sea area forecasts containing wind direction and force, sea state, weather and visibility.   One of my blipper friends is sailing in a small boat off the west coast of Scotland and I notice the forecast today was for a rough sea and the wind becoming cyclonic with rain at times so perhaps their planned schedule and route has had to be changed.
This book is very informative and funny describing places that the author visited while travelling in the areas
How did a weather forecast for ships capture the hearts of a nation, from salty old sea dog to insomniac landlubber? How is it possible for ‘rain later’ to be ‘good’? And where the hell is North Utsire?
Delving into the history of the forecast and the extraordinary people who made it, Charlie explains what those curious phrases really mean, celebrates its wide cultural impact, shares riproaring adventures from his own extraordinary journey through the 31 sea areas – the times he was accused by the media of trying to annex Rockall from the British government and sang sea shanties with Tom Hardy in a Manx hotel bar while Scary Spice pulled the pints
Tonight perhaps the quiet soporific tones will send me to sleep by 1 o’clock when my radio timer goes off and I know that thousands of people will also be lulled to sleep while sailors are keeping an anxious eye on the weather.