Dr Ben Horner
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theaudiosphere.bsky.social
Dr Ben Horner
@theaudiosphere.bsky.social
Audiodoc maker, hauntology explorer, music & media lecturer, landscape drifter and general arty type. I make imaginary maps of real places. https://theaudiosphere.com
You're too kind x
December 6, 2025 at 6:42 AM
What made the Americans so sure they could navigate the Sands unaccompanied? You'll have to listen to the podcast for that one :-)
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
And so she remains on the Sands, the skeleton of her hull and fallen funnels a dangerous obstruction to passing vessels. Sadly, she is now one of thousands whose resting place is off the coast of Kent.

britainfromabove.org.uk/en/search?ke...
Search > Grid | Britain From Above
britainfromabove.org.uk
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
The crew remained on board. The following day rescue tugs were despatched to attempt to tow and refloat the vessel, but appalling weather conditions meant that attempts to pull her away were abandoned and by nightfall the vessel began to break up. All 49 crew were escorted to land by the lifeboat.
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
A little before 9pm that evening she collided with the Sands hard, so much so that the engines failed. The chief engineer sent a radio message for help but the vessel wasn't located until 10:30pm. It was January, bitterly cold, rough seas and high winds.
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Then, in 1946, it met its fate bringing supplies to postwar Germany. Loaded with grain from Baltimore, the ship entered the Dover Strait with no local pilot on board, the captain unaware of risks of a hidden sandbank - the Goodwins.
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
It operated with success in the Pacific Theatre during the remainder of the war, bringing cargo from the US to as far as New Guinea. It was even slated to be part of the Japanese home island invasion fleet, but obviously history went a different way.
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Victory ships were a class of ship built in the US during WWII, under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. The Luray, named for the town in Virginia, was built as a high speed cargo vessel, designed to outrun (or at least pose a challenge to) the German U-Boats. It was built in California in May 1944
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Mary Tyler Moore!
December 5, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Ah! That's amazing, thank you!
December 5, 2025 at 8:43 AM
And I really love the typeface of the lettering but have never found out what it's called. If anyone recognises it can they tell me please? Thanks :-)
December 5, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Oh, and if you'd like a Goodwin Sands shipwreck, he also talks about what's left of the SS Luray Victory

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Lura...

#shipwrecks #englishchannel #deal #walmer #kent
SS Luray Victory - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Dan here is actually a local handyman by trade and works only close by the lifeboat station so can get there quickly when needed. He talks about the types of boats they use, the dangers of strong currents, how he helped rescue a runaway horse, and the education programmes they run for kids.
December 4, 2025 at 9:44 AM
It's 2025 so I guess I have to say, guess what? It doesn't matter who you are or what has happened - if you are in trouble in the sea and you might die, these men will come to your aid. The RNLI is there for everyone.
December 4, 2025 at 9:44 AM
I've literally just added it to the shop. There's also a Canterbury, Sandwich and Deal one, plus conceptual colour charts of other places (and novels too) which my partner makes.

Support your local struggling academic, folks!

Whole shop: www.etsy.com/shop/studios...
www.etsy.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Oooh wait til they visit somewhere sandy
December 1, 2025 at 11:06 PM