A new event last year in the MFOB calendar The MFOB Radio Caroline Raid !
For those of a certain age Radio Caroline was an integral part of our music listening pleasure,
Captivated by a photograph in Life magazine showing president John F. Kennedy's daughter Caroline playing in the Oval Office of the White House and disrupting the serious business of government. This was exactly the image Young Ronan O'Rahilly wanted for his station. The name had to be Radio Caroline.
With finance in place, the ex ferry Fredericia was purchased and taken to Greenore for conversion. Crawford also accepted the offer to take his virtually complete radio ship Mi Amigo to the same port for final preparation. Whilst ostensibly helping Crawford prepare, Ronan's team took every opportunity to hamper their rivals and inevitably the Fredericia, now renamed MV Caroline sailed first.
Radio studios had been built on the upper decks behind the ships bridge. In the hold were A.C. generators connected to two 10KW medium wave (AM ) broadcast transmitters. The combined power from these was fed to a tall aerial tower near the bow of the ship.
To ensure reasonable co-operation between the two projects it was agreed Radio Caroline was to anchor in the Irish sea, broadcasting to Ireland, Scotland and the North of England. Radio Atlanta from the MV Mi Amigo was to head for the British coast off Essex, from where it would cover London and the South East. In a move that Crawford described as 'the ultimate treachery', Ronan sent his own ship south. The First But Not Last Act Of Rebellion …
On 28th March 1964, with their words having been pre-recorded since they were too nervous to broadcast live, Chris Moore and the then unknown actor Simon Dee announced
'This is Radio Caroline on 199, your all day music station.'
Then a Rolling Stones record ('Not Fade Away') was played and dedicated to Ronan O'Rahilly. Caroline was on the air! The monopolies of the BBC and Luxembourg were shattered and UK radio was changed forever.
In 2013 Radio Caroline returned to the River Blackwater, where the Tollesbury Oyster Company who leased the river bed kindly agreed that they would accept the ship. Today you can visit the iconic Ross Revenge, lots more history and how to tune in at www.radiocaroline.co.uk.
Although not an EHWB vessel, many of you will have lots of fond memories of having our very own radio ship in our waters for the past 60 years, we would love to hear them !
On the same day as the MFOB Radio Caroline Raid you can experience a LIVE BROADCAST Weekend and book a trip out to the radio ship ( boattrips@radiocaroline.co.uk.) or email in for a request while racing out to them !
Check the schedules here https://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#schedule.html
MFOB RADIO CAROLINE RAID
Contact merseafishermansopenboats@gmail.com for more details
START TIME 13:30
START LINE WEST MERSEA Y.C