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Always a good day when we learn something new.

Yes, indeed Mamya!

19d was one of the first ones to solve, for me, as I remember listening to the shipping forecast on the "wireless" as a youngster. Although some of the terms used were not understood, I was fascinated by all the names, Bailey, Rockall, Malin,Faroes, Fair Isle and of course German B**** ! Without a television in those days, we used to see how many areas we could recite and there was always one I couln't remember

There are 31 areas today. See how many you can name from memory :)

I still have a "wireless", Jazzgirl!

Ah yes rusty, me too but I now call it the radio

Not me.
I am a respecter of antiquities!

Thanks for that recollection Jazzgirl.. Carol Ann Duffy, the poet laureate must have been similarly impressed by the sea areas as she wrote a poem about it. I think it was called The Shipping Forecast.

Thank you Mondrian
I did not know of the poem you mention. I have just checked and it is "Prayer", the last lines of which are:

"Darkness outside. Inside, the radio’s prayer – Rockall. Malin. Dogger. Finisterre.”

Finisterre was re-named Fit\roy in 2002. That's a shame, as it is not so poetic in my view. The shipping forecast was like poetry to me (I'm an old romantic) I guess it is the influence of my martime ancestors and the fact that my father loved the sea. He was either on the water or in it ! ( Finisterre literally means “the end of the earth”.) Not sure why they decided to re-name it Fitzroy.

Actually it's interesting, jazzy. Fitzroy was the naval captain who suggested the sea areas and forecasts. He had been captain of the Beagle when Darwin travelled on it.

There is more than one Finisterre, too, which might cause confusion; for example, the Battle of Finsterre wasn't near the one we would think of. (It just means "Land's End, of course.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipping_Forecast