A WARM WELCOME TO MY WEBSITE.

Site last updated on June 11th 2009 @ 2245 UTC

 

Click this link for this summer..New Addition... SILVERLINE FISHING TRIPS in PORTPATRICK... See also in Local Links Page 13! 

This site is primarily focused on providing 'near' real time Weather Information for the village of PORTPATRICK, in Southwest Scotland, and suggesting useful links to DECENT local service providers, along with local tidal & traffic services.

Don't forget to scroll down to the P&O info on page 10!

I particularly wish to thank Graeme Young [Electrical Services], Portpatrick [Dunskey] Golf Club & Gavin and Angie Morrison for their very generous donations to help with the running costs of this site, which is currently around £200 a year [as long as everything keeps working!]

The system is a Davis Instruments  Wireless 'Vantage PRO2' weather station, with all sensors wirelessly connected to the main console. This in turn transfers data to a dedicated Dell laptop 'Inspiron' PC, which archives all data at 1 minute intervals, then uploads the data to several sites via the Internet.

These include :-

NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] in the USA,

Weather Underground, also based in the USA, but is where the data from this station {and countless others!} can be accessed & downloaded.

Detailed Historical data for this station is available on this site from June 2005, when this station started uploading via a 'dial up' connection! Things improved somewhat in October 2005, when a reliable 'broadband' connection was established here!

MADIS [Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System] ... also based in the USA!

CWOP [The Citizen's Weather Observers Programme] and....

APRS [Automatic Packet Reporting System], used by the World's Radio Amateurs]

Other interests, and past 'life-forms' are...

THE RNLI

AMATEUR RADIO

My personal history is somewhat varied!

When I left school, I got involved in hotel work during the summer holidays before I started at Radio College.

After qualifying as a Ships' Radio Officer, I continued  with my work in Hotel Management, becoming Assistant Manager initially of the Beach Hotel in Trearddur Bay, Anglesey, then after a break involving Yacht Deliveries in Europe  & the Caribbean,  I  became Assistant Manager of the Northern Hotel in Aberdeen, and later, 'Relief Manager' for Usher/Vaux hotels in the NE of Scotland, including the Palace Hotel in Peterhead, the Station Hotel in Fraserburgh, The Staging Post in Bucksburn, and others in the City of Aberdeen that I'd rather forget!

In 1967, shortly after meeting Patricia, [now my wife for the last 40+ years!] I moved from Aberdeen to London [and Bournemouth], to train in Air T rafic Control.

After several courses in College at Hurn Airport, I worked at both London's Heathrow Airport and the London Air Traffic Control Centre [Then at West Drayton in Middlesex]

I married PAT in October 1968 up in Aberdeen , and  later in 1969 moved from ATC to a career in the British Coast Radio Station Service.

After induction training at Portishead Radio/GKA, I was posted to Portpatrick/GPK, where I served  initially as a Radio Officer .

I was privileged to have visited [and worked] at several of the other UK Coast Radio Stations during my time with BT's  'Aeronautical & Maritime Services', including GNF/North Foreland in Kent, GNI /Niton on the Isle of Wight, GLV / Anglesey, N. Wales, GND / Stonehaven and GCC/ Cullercoats, Near Newcastle on Tyne, Humber Radio/GKZ, and the Long Range Station GKA [Portishead Radio] in Highbridge, Somerset.

In 1972 I attended College in Southampton, for a 'Crash Course' to upgrade my  Maritime Radio Qualifications.

Then from 1980 I was the Acting Station Manager, at Portpatrick/GPK, until the closure of this station on 31st March 1999, and for the last 18 months until closure, I was the only person left!

Since then, after some months working voluntarily in our local Citizen's Advice Bureau in Stranraer, I have been employed by P&O Irish Sea Ferries in Cairnryan in the busy Freight Department

 In 1970, my wife Pat gave birth to our first born ~ 'DEBBIE'  in a Snow Storm!

Debbie, who is now 39, subsequently married a GREAT guy [DUNCAN] and have since produced two WONDERFUL grand children for Pat and myself ERIN & EUAN! [See the link to the left!]

In October 1972, 'BEVERLEY' arrived!

Beverley doesn't have any children, but she has a POSSE of Irish Setters instead!

Maddie produced a litter of  puppies in 2005, 2 remained with Beverley {Morgan & Bailey} Another {Harvey} moved to Debbie & Duncan's house, and yet another {Fergie} moved to live with my Niece in Aberdeen!

Beverley added yet another to her brood of setters  in October 2006, when she collected {Redley} from the North of Scotland.

These have recently been  joined by River,Ellie & Lexie! [Irish Setters] and Amber, a Golden Retriever...

Add to this, one super-cool feline who [sometimes] answers to  'Foster', and who quite naturally thinks that he is a dog!

[I have even been known to bark whilst visiting this establishment!]

CHECK OUT THE OTHER PAGES OF THE SITE, WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL FIND TO BE INFORMATIVE! 

CLICK on  the links on the left hand side of the page. If you live locally, or have an interest in weather, then there's a MOUNTAIN of 'downloadable' information on our Portpatrick Weather at frequent intervals [often less than 5 minutes] stretching back to June 2005.

The  'Current Weather' page is updated each minute 24/7/365 [BT & Electricity supply permitting!] although I have a UPS which will keep the laptop and BT Internet system going for around 90 minutes in the event of a power failure.

AS THEY SAY HERE IN PORTPATRICK...

HASTE YE BACK!