The Shipping Forecast Quiz
November 12, 2015 6:49 AM Subscribe
You're going to want to check out Duke Riley's work.
posted by The Bellman at 6:59 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Bellman at 6:59 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
Tried the guessing technique and either got 6 out of 10 (proof)
posted by HughBeaulac at 6:59 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by HughBeaulac at 6:59 AM on November 12, 2015
Sadly, I cannot answer this as I tend to fall asleep during the middle of the Shipping Forecast.
posted by bgal81 at 7:00 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by bgal81 at 7:00 AM on November 12, 2015
9 out of 10. Any less and I would have voluntarily handed over my UK passport and deported myself.
posted by sobarel at 7:01 AM on November 12, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by sobarel at 7:01 AM on November 12, 2015 [6 favorites]
The Bellman, I like his style! It is more of what I had in mind. Now to find someone where I live to design something in that vein.
posted by Kitteh at 7:01 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by Kitteh at 7:01 AM on November 12, 2015
Oh ... I only got 4 out of 10.
THIS is a low.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:05 AM on November 12, 2015 [5 favorites]
THIS is a low.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:05 AM on November 12, 2015 [5 favorites]
I am a bit of a Shipping Forecast obsessive. My husband made me a print with all the names for my birthday a couple of years ago, I am preparing to order these prints for my home office, and yes of course, the future tattoo.
Also, I would like to present a beautiful song that involves the Shipping Forecast by the Vancouver band North Atlantic Explorers (that is Stuart David from Belle & Sebastian, Looper reciting it).
posted by Kitteh at 7:11 AM on November 12, 2015 [4 favorites]
Also, I would like to present a beautiful song that involves the Shipping Forecast by the Vancouver band North Atlantic Explorers (that is Stuart David from Belle & Sebastian, Looper reciting it).
posted by Kitteh at 7:11 AM on November 12, 2015 [4 favorites]
"Your Result
1/10
The Shipping Forecast issued by the Radio Four website. The area forecasts for the next 24 hours. There are warnings of violent storms in Viking, Dogger, German Bight. Severe gale 9, slow moving, becoming cyclonic later. Outlook poor. Very rough. Occasionally very poor for a time."
posted by jeribus at 7:23 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
1/10
The Shipping Forecast issued by the Radio Four website. The area forecasts for the next 24 hours. There are warnings of violent storms in Viking, Dogger, German Bight. Severe gale 9, slow moving, becoming cyclonic later. Outlook poor. Very rough. Occasionally very poor for a time."
posted by jeribus at 7:23 AM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Rockall vs Portland was cruel.
posted by Devonian at 7:29 AM on November 12, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by Devonian at 7:29 AM on November 12, 2015 [7 favorites]
The Shipping Forecast plays a naughty role in one of the many great episodes of Britcom "Black Books." This is the entirety of what I know about shipping forecasts.
posted by thebrokedown at 7:31 AM on November 12, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by thebrokedown at 7:31 AM on November 12, 2015 [6 favorites]
Yes, that's the one that got me. An islet, who knew.
posted by sobarel at 7:31 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by sobarel at 7:31 AM on November 12, 2015
2/10. I've drowned.
posted by benito.strauss at 7:36 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by benito.strauss at 7:36 AM on November 12, 2015
6/10. Handing in my passport. In my defence, I'm almost always half-asleep when I hear it.
posted by A Robot Ninja at 7:38 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by A Robot Ninja at 7:38 AM on November 12, 2015
3/10 Oh god, I have to hand in my British passport. I have dishonoured my ancestors. Bring me the hair shirt and the leper bell.
posted by halcyonday at 7:47 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by halcyonday at 7:47 AM on November 12, 2015
6/10 - but I haven't listened to it in years, so was going by old memories of it.
Also, stupid Rockall.
posted by marienbad at 7:54 AM on November 12, 2015
Also, stupid Rockall.
posted by marienbad at 7:54 AM on November 12, 2015
Do other countries have anything like The Shipping Forecast? After a quick search I was not able to find a list of "sea areas" names off the US East Coast for example - and regional weather maps such as this don't seem to name them. The British forecast seems quite happy to tell us the conditions for just about all of Western Europe (less the Baltic and the Med). Are any of them paying attention?
posted by rongorongo at 7:59 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by rongorongo at 7:59 AM on November 12, 2015
Ack four out of ten. And I only knew "backing" thanks to Patrick O'Brien!
(sooo homesick now!)
posted by runincircles at 8:26 AM on November 12, 2015
(sooo homesick now!)
posted by runincircles at 8:26 AM on November 12, 2015
It's strange to me that I've never heard of this before. My dad was a commercial salmon fisherman and I remember as a kid listening to the VHF Continuous Marine Broadcast, Prince Rupert Coast Guard Radio.
At least on the BC coast, the marine broadcast is on specialized radio stations, and repeats continuously a mixture of a general forecast for the regions. Read by a person in a manner similar to the Shipping Forecast, it would also be punctuated by computerized text-to-speech live updates from automated wave/wind buoys, which in the early 90s seemed super high-tech. Occasionally the scheduled broadcast would be interrupted for the coast guard to broadcast distress calls or give important bulletins, but otherwise it was the reliable drone telling us the wind, swell and chop for the Hecate Strait.
Just thinking about it, I can smell the seaweed pulled out of the gear, fish blood pooling around the scuppers, the carbon paper sounder that would make me gag whenever it was time to change the roll, and the oil stove by the cabin door.
As for inducing sleep, it just needs to be accompanied by some gentle rocking, with perhaps a bass note of Ford marine diesel at 1800 RPM and I would be out cold in no time. To be fair, this is certainly what lulled me to sleep for a good part of my infancy.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 8:28 AM on November 12, 2015 [5 favorites]
At least on the BC coast, the marine broadcast is on specialized radio stations, and repeats continuously a mixture of a general forecast for the regions. Read by a person in a manner similar to the Shipping Forecast, it would also be punctuated by computerized text-to-speech live updates from automated wave/wind buoys, which in the early 90s seemed super high-tech. Occasionally the scheduled broadcast would be interrupted for the coast guard to broadcast distress calls or give important bulletins, but otherwise it was the reliable drone telling us the wind, swell and chop for the Hecate Strait.
Just thinking about it, I can smell the seaweed pulled out of the gear, fish blood pooling around the scuppers, the carbon paper sounder that would make me gag whenever it was time to change the roll, and the oil stove by the cabin door.
As for inducing sleep, it just needs to be accompanied by some gentle rocking, with perhaps a bass note of Ford marine diesel at 1800 RPM and I would be out cold in no time. To be fair, this is certainly what lulled me to sleep for a good part of my infancy.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 8:28 AM on November 12, 2015 [5 favorites]
I did rather more poorly than one would have thought.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:51 AM on November 12, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:51 AM on November 12, 2015 [8 favorites]
5/10. The ones I thought I knew from any osmosed nautical knowledge, I got wrong. The ones I guessed on, I got right. I have never listened to this program.
posted by Hactar at 8:51 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by Hactar at 8:51 AM on November 12, 2015
...but who's for some Tears For Fears?
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:53 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:53 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
I demand a refund on my TV licence. I've driven to one of those so-called 'islands', on a *road*.
Humph.
6/10
posted by Helga-woo at 9:15 AM on November 12, 2015
Humph.
6/10
posted by Helga-woo at 9:15 AM on November 12, 2015
Kitteh - If you haven't already you should get your hands on Mark Power's photobook The Shipping Forecast. I believe the entire project is available on his site, but getting a copy of the book is well worth it.
posted by lawrencium at 9:18 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by lawrencium at 9:18 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
What's weird though is when British people try to tell you that the Shipping Forecast is a "real thing" - as opposed to being just a funny parlour game that they play every night, after their "supper n' chips".
Like, there are all these special waterproof boxes floating on the sea somewhere, full of people - I dunno why, maybe the people are all allergic to land, or something! And I guess these "box people" don't have any windows in their boxes, so they don't know what the weather is. So they gotta tune in to Britain's fustiest radio station to find out: "Oh I say box people! It's very rough wot wot! Occasionally very poor for a time! In ... uhh - Biscuit! Sharon! Pharaohs! And here are some numbers!!!"
Like that even makes sense, right? Oh yeah, the weather is "occasionally very poor, for a time". Can't tell you what time though - might be a few minutes, might be 48 continuous months. Hope your box is super waterproof, you funny box-people!
No but it's like something out of that Monkey Python show they all love.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 9:27 AM on November 12, 2015
Like, there are all these special waterproof boxes floating on the sea somewhere, full of people - I dunno why, maybe the people are all allergic to land, or something! And I guess these "box people" don't have any windows in their boxes, so they don't know what the weather is. So they gotta tune in to Britain's fustiest radio station to find out: "Oh I say box people! It's very rough wot wot! Occasionally very poor for a time! In ... uhh - Biscuit! Sharon! Pharaohs! And here are some numbers!!!"
Like that even makes sense, right? Oh yeah, the weather is "occasionally very poor, for a time". Can't tell you what time though - might be a few minutes, might be 48 continuous months. Hope your box is super waterproof, you funny box-people!
No but it's like something out of that Monkey Python show they all love.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 9:27 AM on November 12, 2015
Fusty? The home of Round Britain Quiz and Quote Unquote? How very dare you!
posted by sobarel at 9:38 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by sobarel at 9:38 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
In a minor thread coinci-dink, Lundy is named after the Norse for Puffin Island.
posted by Devonian at 10:17 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by Devonian at 10:17 AM on November 12, 2015
Do you get extra points if you hum “Sailing By” while you do the quiz?
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 11:06 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 11:06 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
5/10
I didn't really know the answers to any of the questions, and had to guess. I just think it's beautiful, it doesn't have to mean anything.
(Unless you're a trawlerman, in which case it's the difference between life and death.)
posted by Grangousier at 1:54 PM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
I didn't really know the answers to any of the questions, and had to guess. I just think it's beautiful, it doesn't have to mean anything.
(Unless you're a trawlerman, in which case it's the difference between life and death.)
posted by Grangousier at 1:54 PM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
"Heligoland", by Overseer.
Starts off fairly normal, lulls you into a false sense of security, then drags you into wonderful, playful chaos:
North Rockall
Mainly westerly 6 to gale 8. Rain or thundery showers. Exhaustion. Boredom. Decay.
Moderate or poor
Malin Hebrides
Cyclonic becoming reality, occasionally gale 8,
Backing southerly later. Broken and disorientated.
Rain or showers. Moderation lacking
posted by jpolchlopek at 3:13 PM on November 12, 2015 [4 favorites]
Starts off fairly normal, lulls you into a false sense of security, then drags you into wonderful, playful chaos:
North Rockall
Mainly westerly 6 to gale 8. Rain or thundery showers. Exhaustion. Boredom. Decay.
Moderate or poor
Malin Hebrides
Cyclonic becoming reality, occasionally gale 8,
Backing southerly later. Broken and disorientated.
Rain or showers. Moderation lacking
posted by jpolchlopek at 3:13 PM on November 12, 2015 [4 favorites]
Like that even makes sense, right? Oh yeah, the weather is "occasionally very poor, for a time". Can't tell you what time though - might be a few minutes, might be 48 continuous months
This is the UK, poor for 48 months is normal weather.
posted by marienbad at 3:42 PM on November 12, 2015
This is the UK, poor for 48 months is normal weather.
posted by marienbad at 3:42 PM on November 12, 2015
I suspect the Fisheries Broadcast on cbc radio one St.John's performs a somewhat similar function. Instead of seas, they talk of the Grand Banks , the Flemish Cap and the Strait.
posted by peppermind at 4:11 PM on November 12, 2015
posted by peppermind at 4:11 PM on November 12, 2015
Bless Tears for Fears' "Pharhoes," or I'd have been clueless.
posted by OneOliveShort at 8:56 PM on November 12, 2015
posted by OneOliveShort at 8:56 PM on November 12, 2015
Heligoland is genius. Thanks for that.
For completeness (How many of these things are there?) here's Thomas Dolby's Windpower, which has the Shipping Forecast as a coda, Lisa Knapp's Shipping Song, and the BBC's PM programme reminisces about Peter Donaldson. He was one of the voices, if not the voice, of the Shipping Forecast, and of Radio 4, for decades. and died earlier this month.
posted by Devonian at 6:04 AM on November 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
For completeness (How many of these things are there?) here's Thomas Dolby's Windpower, which has the Shipping Forecast as a coda, Lisa Knapp's Shipping Song, and the BBC's PM programme reminisces about Peter Donaldson. He was one of the voices, if not the voice, of the Shipping Forecast, and of Radio 4, for decades. and died earlier this month.
posted by Devonian at 6:04 AM on November 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
My personal current favourite announcer for it is Neil Nunes. He has such a plummy voice.
posted by Kitteh at 6:34 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by Kitteh at 6:34 AM on November 13, 2015
8/10, dammit Rockall and my inability to count sea areas beginning with F.
I love Braces Tower's cheery and upbeat musical version of the shipping forecast, The General Synopsis, which is sort of the exact opposite of the current shipping forecast which is (mid Storm Abigail) pretty much gale warnings from end to end.
posted by Vortisaur at 2:49 PM on November 13, 2015
I love Braces Tower's cheery and upbeat musical version of the shipping forecast, The General Synopsis, which is sort of the exact opposite of the current shipping forecast which is (mid Storm Abigail) pretty much gale warnings from end to end.
posted by Vortisaur at 2:49 PM on November 13, 2015
Sadly, just 4/10, but in my defence I only heard it when I lived in the UK for a couple of years.
In Aus we have similar marine weather forecasts produced by the local BOM, but not the same level of obtuseness in naming and terseness of description. I am not a sea farer but can understand the marine warnings here. And the areas to which they apply are named after nearby land-based regions. e.g. http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/coastalmap.shtml
For entertainment, I prefer the shipping forecast, but for practicality a forecast like this seems preferable:
http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/batemanscoast.shtml
posted by bystander at 3:36 AM on November 21, 2015
In Aus we have similar marine weather forecasts produced by the local BOM, but not the same level of obtuseness in naming and terseness of description. I am not a sea farer but can understand the marine warnings here. And the areas to which they apply are named after nearby land-based regions. e.g. http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/coastalmap.shtml
For entertainment, I prefer the shipping forecast, but for practicality a forecast like this seems preferable:
http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/batemanscoast.shtml
posted by bystander at 3:36 AM on November 21, 2015
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This reminds me...I still need to figure out how to design that tattoo of it.
posted by Kitteh at 6:52 AM on November 12, 2015