Articles by Stephen M.

  • The Red Arrows at South Shields

    - 7 months ago - 1 comment
    Red Arrows
    On Sunday 8 September, the Royal Air Force aerobatic team, the 'Red Arrows' performed a display over South Shields to celebrate the conclusion of the annual Newcastle to South Shields marathon (the Great North Run). The display started with the Red Arrows flying over central Newcastle and then continuing east to the Durham coast. Due to road closures and general congestion, I based myself at Souter lighthouse a little south of the finishing line in South Shields. Unfortunately the weather w…

  • A close call for the Saaremaa

    - 15 Aug 2025 - 1 comment
    Saaremaa
    On the 9 July 2025, the cargo ship 'Saaremaa' was due to arrive into the Port of Sunderland having travelled from the Port of Karlsborg at the very northern end of the Gulf of Bothnia in Sweden. The ship met the pilot vessel offshore and proceeded past Roker lighthouse into the River Wear channel. A couple of hundred metres past the lighthouse and entering the trickiest part of the route, the ship appeared to lose power and drift off course towards Starboard (right). This meant it was now he…