Shipping Forecasts

When I get up to Shetland my regular online information sources change.

Shipping Forecast - no gales around Fair Isle today

Down in the south - and far inland - I’m likely to check various news websites and twitter on a pretty regular basis to keep in touch with what’s going on.

Up here, being right on the edge of the sea, there are two other websites that I pay much more attention to - both related to shipping.

The Met Office Shipping Forecast becomes a very regular source of information.  The standard weather forecast doesn't really cut it at the south end Shetland.  Suddenly it matters what's happening in sea area "Fair Isle".  I don’t know if other countries have institutions like the Shipping Forecast that still interrupt the broadcast of major sporting events (on the radio at least) - but it's a fantastic service!

Another Shipping Forecast - showing the passing ships

The other website that I look at very regularly is the ever amazing Marine Traffic site – this plots the current position of shipping pretty much anywhere in the world.  

I use this to identify what I can see going past the south end of Shetland, and as a way of finding out if there is anything interesting in the area that’s worth looking out for.  

I think I’m revealing myself as a bit of a closet ship-spotter.