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Latest News > OP News > OPs join in the celebrations for 100 years of the Shipping Forecast on the BBC

OPs join in the celebrations for 100 years of the Shipping Forecast on the BBC

On New Years Day features on 100 years of the Shipping Forecast were broadcast by the BBC.  OP Merrick Rayner (68-73) a Patron of the Royal Museums Greenwich had a front row seat for the celebrations.
14 Jan 2025
Written by Sue Carpenter
OP News
Broadcasting underneath the Cutty Sark
Broadcasting underneath the Cutty Sark

Merrick writes:

One of these features highlighted the sea area of " Wight " and Bosham was introduced by the Meteorologist John Hammond who actually grew up in Bosham and sometimes reads the forecast. Including in his feature " The shipping postcards episode 1 available on BBC sounds "  was a brief interview with OP Alastair Shaw (A member of ISC - Itchenor Sailing Club)  who is a bit older than me but was at Pangbourne when I was there. Alastair keeps his boat in Bosham Channel  (close to where mine is moored - also an HR called " Thalassa ") and Alastair explained he had sailed his 10 metre Hallberg-Rassy Sailing yacht " Masquerade " around the United Kingdom in 2024 to visit every UK area of the Shipping Forecast. Pretty impressive ! 

Later that day there was a " Front Row " programme broadcast, recorded on 3/12/2024 on the Shipping Forecast (also available on BBC Sounds) that took place underneath the keel of " Cutty Sark " in Greenwich. This went out on Radio 4 at 19.15. the staging was almost as impressive as the programme. I was invited to attend in my capacity as a Patron of Royal Museums Greenwich and a Director of the American Friends of RMG.

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