Portland Bill - Underhill

Portland Bill - Underhill.

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Yachts in Portland's Chesil beach cove

Sailing boats from Chesil beach.

Enjoying the fantastic weather last week on Portland's Chesil beach, I saw these boats anchored in the cove, it's not very often now we see boats "resting" here, so it made a nice change, would have liked to be on one of them to be honest, after all, it's one angle we rarely see Portland from.

Portland's secret tunnels...

Chesil beach! 

Portland's Chesil beach is seemingly endless, 18 or 19 miles of beach and I happen to spot this, what looks like a drain, so oddly out of place within all these pebbles.

If it is a drain that is, my imagination run away with me at the time because it didn't really look like a drain, more an entrance for something than anything. We all know on Portland that's possible ;o)

Portland's hidden secrets fascinate me...

Portland's sea defence is a success and an asset

Chesil's defences open! 

Portland's Chesil beach sits somewhat safely behind this sea wall, part of the sea defence system, which started in the 60's, it obviously works well as we saw the winter just gone when we had a magnificent storm which threw up some of the biggest waves we have had for over a decade, Chesil beach was battered for a while but thankfully held up to avoid what we know can happen, severe flooding.

Hard to believe the beach could be so rough when you see it's stillness in the summer.

Chesil beach under summer blue skies

Chesil beach

The weather on Portland is still fantastic, far to good to be indoors and much to hot to miss out, considering what a winter we had, it's no surprise to see people making the most of the summer.

Looks like I am not the only one judging by the amount of people I have seen out enjoying it, diving, swimming, canoeing (as you see in the picture) fishing and some sunbathers... (hopefully being sensible with sunscreen!)

Isle of Portland, an alternative UK holiday

Portland is getting back to normal after the school half term, thankfully the whole week was great weather wise.

Lot's of people enjoying the sun and sea on the one and only Chesil beach, plenty of divers down here too.

Plenty of fishing to be seen, lot's of mackerel getting caught too, ideal on a BBQ, of course!

All in all it has been a good half term for everyone, apart from those who worked!

A good summer coming up and a good time for...

Isle of Portland slides into summer...

Portland's Chesil beach!

The Isle of Portland slides into summer, reluctantly...

June already and the weather still can't make its mind up!

It seems we have a few fantastic days and then a complete contrast, misty, rain, and miserably grey... mind you at times it's cool though.

Good typical old British weather!

But...

Atmospheric yet beautiful sunset on the beach

Beautiful sunsets on the beach!

Beautiful sunsets on the beach here at Portland.

During the recent atmospheric dust fallout from the volcano we did have some pretty strange yet stunning sunsets like this one here on Chesil beach.
A shade of colour I have rarely seen.

This was taken from the old Police station above the park on the night of the Portland spring fair.
The sky was completely clear of clouds.

You can see the scale of this if you notice the couple talking a stroll along the pebbles to the left of the sun ray on the sea.

The Isle of Portland's gateway

Isle of Portland's "gateway" (wrong place!)

The Isle of Portland's gateway, apparently, which most of us on Portland would disagree with, knowing the real gateway is at ferry bridge, which sits on the other end of the causeway (beach road) leading off the island, from where the picture banner at the top of this blog was taken and...

Notice that big square sign, that IS the Welcome to Portland sign!

Portland's sunset on the beach

Sunsets on the beach....

What can possibly beat that for an amazing sight of natural wonder?

Here on Portland we are lucky to be able to enjoy the sunset on the beach, almost daily.

Sitting on Chesil beach watching the sun setting, on Chesil beach, fantastic.

Portland Bill bathed in Easter sunshine

Portland Bill has been bathed in beautiful sunlight this Easter weekend, not as warm as it looks but at least warm enough to get out there and enjoy it, the sunset on Chesil beach as ever, looking great.

Many people have been out and about walking around the Island, enjoying a drink on the sea wall watching the sun go down.

The start of summer is here at last, a good time to check out Portland Bill's accommodation choices for that getaway break to enjoy this unique place, take a walk around the Island, do some fishing, abseiling, or the other way with some rock climbing, canoeing, diving, surfing, sailing, whatever you enjoy there is something here for you to try out, more so if you have yet to try it.

Plenty of relaxing places to enjoy a drink, meal if action isn't your thing.

Happy Easter to all my readers, wherever you are. :o)

Portland suffering floods over the years

Portland has had it's fair share of flooding problems over the years, thankfully we have, with the sea defence wall, held it better over the last 20 odd years, the sea still has the power to flood here make no mistake of that, this winter reminded us with Chesil beach being battered by storms.

Nothing quite like it was as seen above though I have to say. Couldn't have been very nice working at the old naval base back in those days when it got like this. In that picture you can't even see the famous pebble beach running alongside the sea.

Portland's Cove Inn as seen in early 20th century

Chesil beach's Cove Inn as seen in the very early part of last century, a staggering picture when you compare it to the modern one... for one thing the Cove Inn is 1/3rd of the height now as it was then, this due to the sea wall being built.

Portland's Chesil beach sunsets getting better...spring is near

March is here already, Portland can look forward to some more amazing sunsets, not that we don't get them in winter but they do seem to step up in beauty in the warmer longer days.

Not so long till the clocks go forward again drawing the days out into early evening time, the time Portland's Chesil beach cove really comes alive with locals enjoying the view and what's not to enjoy!

Portland Bill and Chesil beach battered by storms

Portland Bill like the rest of the country had a bit of a battering weather wise this weekend.

Portland and the south coast in general had some flood warnings issued over the weekend and with the wind helping the sea along it was a wise move.

The main causeway connecting Portland to the mainland known as "beach road" is pretty vulnerable to flooding in high winds.

Annoyingly my own rechargeable batteries for my camera ran out so a old friend who took these great pictures has allowed me to share them with you all.

Thank you to the lovely Serena for allowing me to share...

As you can see from the first picture the waves were very long and crashing in hard on the pebbles, this beach being made wholly of pebbles itself is part of the reason we get flooding as the beach tends to move in and upwards.

On any other day you will notice the beach steps up as the beach gets higher, the tiers are non existent in this kind of weather, as you see below taken slightly further back from the first one.

This untamed wind topped 80 mph at least, I'd say it got to 90mph at times out there, indeed my son had trouble staying on his feet.

Although he had never seen this so rough, the last time I remember it getting this bad was 1989, or thereabouts.

The boats had been moved off the beach and placed on the wall itself or behind the wall for better shelter.

With this second picture you an clearly just how far up the beach the waves are going, and with only the beach stopping it going over onto the street where I live and the beach road itself it's no surprise the place was reinforced 20 years ago near the Cove inn and behind my own home.

Facing the waves from the vantage point where Serena took the pictures you are looking at this coming towards you, crashing against the sea wall itself, where people usually walk, (it was closed by the coastguard) and you will get WET here!

Serena also went out to Portland Bill no doubt to show her kids the things we grew up seeing, what makes Portland so great in stormy weather.

It's the Portland we get to respect when she shows her true power.

As you an see below the crane itself is dwarfed by the crashing waves.

Red October on Portlands chesil beach

Fantastic weather and sunsets for October here on Portland, long may it continue, after a great September too.

The consistency has been great with only a couple of bad days in the last 6 or 7 weeks.
Chesil beach is never empty at the moment with people taking advantage of the sun. Plenty of groups on canoes out there recently, plenty of people fishing too.

Admittedly the nights have got colder, and it's not long till the clocks go back again so we lose the later sunsets and the brighter mornings start, the real end of the summer.

For now everyone is enjoying the weather and making the most of it, as the one truth with British weather is as we know...it won't last!