Dogger, Fisher, German Bight …

Paula, who blogs at Lost in Translation, offers each month a different set of five words to illustrate. Look at this month’s: sabulous; brimming; guarding; berthing and bight. Interesting, aren’t they? I bet you had to haul the dictionary out for one, maybe two of them.

It was bight that caught my eye. It actually means …

But it doesn’t mean that to me. Like so many Brits, I’m a devotee of the Shipping Forecast, that four-times-daily forecast to anyone out at sea within reach of the British coast. The coastal waters are divided into zones, each evocatively named.

I’m not out at sea, dicing with the elements: I’m a rotten sailor anyway. But I can be soothed by the predictable poetic rhythms of the regular broadcast. Do watch this explanatory video. It’ll take up under two minutes of your life.

It’s so much a part of my life, I even have a cushion showing many of the much-loved names.

… and there you’ll have spotted it. German Bight. So that’s what Bight means to me. Ships at sea, their crew always ready, four times a day, to tune into that most necessary programme.

It seems only right then, that my four remaining photos should have been taken on the sea, or at any rate by the sea. Here they are …

This beach at Alnmouth, Northumberland is pretty sabulous, I’d say.
The Mediterranean is brimming at the moment: so much so that it’s slopped over the sands and is stealing the beaches of the Maresme coast in Catalonia. Diggers and excavators are fighting back, building groynes to inhibit the relentless march of the sea.
Just another day at work for this lifeguard, guarding the safety of Sunday swimmers at Premià de Mar.
Berthing at the fishing port of Arenys de Mar, Catalonia, before another night of fishing at sea.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

54 thoughts on “Dogger, Fisher, German Bight …”

  3. I love the soothing shipping forecast, though I would not be much good out at sea. I also enjoy the inshore waters forecast and follow them round the coast where I can picture each name because I have been there.

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  8. The shipping forecast with music is one of my regular listens (BBC Sounds). Great interpretation of the words and great words! Sabulous is fabulous! Straight onto my list of favourite words.

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  9. I don’t tend to listen to the shipping forecast these days but it was part of the soundtrack of my childhood. How clever of you to link all these words to the sea! My favourite photo is Alnmouth – not only one of my favourite places but also beautifully captured with the textures in the sand and the star filter (I assume?) on the sunshine 😀

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  10. Ah, I finally know what Mrs. Bale in As Time Goes By was talking about when she repeated the shipping forecast. I didn’t realize it was so widely listened to. Do most listeners generally understand the forecast given? I watched the video and it seemed like he was talking in code. Great info which enhances the photos.

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    1. To be honest, I don’t really absorb th words – just the sounds. But yes, after a lifetime of listening, I do pretty much understand the language. I’m not sure if younger people listen so much, as they’re less into live radio, and Radio 4.

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  12. There’s a sleep aid you can download with the shipping forecasts! Lovely post, and have you changed your theme. I have been offline for a few days and it feels different, but it could be me

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    1. I think it’s you, Becky. It’s been quite a while since I last changed my theme. I can get to sleep just fine, it’s staying asleep that eludes me – and my phone is off at night. Hope you’re sleeping OK.

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  14. Clever! Sabulous and bight are new words for me. The shipping news is a little archane for me, but I get that it might be soothingly poetic! Actually, I recall when I lived in the UK (decades ago) I used to sometimes listen to the football results, even though I know nothing about the clubs/teams. I liked the intonation when announcing the scores.

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  21. Those words embedded themselves into my brain years ago and though I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about, I just loved the sound. There is something so soothing about having the forecast read out in very calm and measured tones.

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