Alongside this Shipping Forecast series for Coast magazine, I work as commissioning editor for Imray, a publisher of sailing navigation books that are sometimes called ‘Pilots’. This has nothing to do with flying, but refers to the intricate art of ‘pilotage’ which is informally defined as the navigation of a vessel ‘where you can bump into things’.
My first book in this role was the Irish Sea Pilot, a project that took me on a vicarious adventure through this fascinating body of water, a wonderful blend of rugged headlands, treacherous tides, rich history and deep culture stretching back thousands of years.
The raw power of the Irish Sea is encapsulated by its vast tides, a product of two mighty tidal waves that surge in through its
