The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) - Walker Brothers

 As described on yesterday's post the day the Olympic Torch arrived in Portland and Weymouth started with a blaze of sunshine, blue, blue sky and a chill in the breeze. Ideal then for a Beach Party, attention from the local media and a visitation from a few superstars including former Olympic swimmer Sharon Davis.

While neither Radipole or Lodmoor hold much magic for me these days, I decided to set out at 06:00 to visit both. Having had so much rain, how could anywhere not look 'green'

but Radipole particularly looked resplendent in its new growth of Common Reed.

Overhead c4 COMMON TERNs (there was a 4th) appeared to be squabbling at high altitude, 

while c5 GREAT CRESTED GREBEs cruised the Northern Lagoon. Not surprisingly there were no young to be seen, probably washed out by last week's flood?

The beauty of PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE,

 

BUDDLEIA 

 

and the un-strimmed verges was overshadowed by the most disgusting act I have ever witnessed at the reserve.

 

Suspected of being breeding BLACK-HEADED GULLs washed out by the floods, these birds have returned early to the lake. All else there were a few Common Swifts, singing Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, equally vocal Reed Buntings and a Water Rail. Onward to Lodmoor

via Greenhill Gardens and a fine example of the skills of out Council Gardens Department.

Out in Weymouth Bay it looked more like Navy Days than the Olympic Games as both HMS OCEAN (Great Britain's largest warship) and

 

HMS LANCASTER a 'Duke' class Type 22 Frigate known as 'The Queen's Frigate'. the Duke of Lancaster being one of the monarchs honorary titles, arrived for their deployment as extra security for the Games. 'Ocean' was bound for the Pool of London where she will act as Platform for Helicopter Security at the Olympic Games. 

Despite the wet weather, COMMON TERNs on both nesting islands at Lodmoor continue to thrive. That is not to say that some have not perished, but there are still a good number being well provided for by parent birds.

In addition there were also c7 LAPWING (but distant),

c5 OYSTERCATCHER, c2 Marsh Harrier, singles of Water Rail, Greenshank and 

COMMON BLUE DAMSELFLY.

Otherwise there was a proliferation of LESSER REEDMACE (Bulrush) and a fine view of

the Lodmoor Flood Plain from the high-ground close to Horselynch Copice. Returning to Weymouth, the clouds were now gathering and bringing a high prospect of rain.

The beach had been cleaned (as it is daily) for the arrival of the Torch

and lighting of the Cauldron later in the day

 

and the stage was set for the Festival to follow. At 10:15 precisely the rain once again showed its hand and at the time of retiring (bedtime) it had continued to be persistent. There is not a thing that can be done to combat this, but all the same my heart goes out to the 100's who have put in 1,000's of hours preparation, the local youngsters waiting in the wings to 'strut their stuff' and a lost opportunity to show the world what the UK's No1 town is all about!

Karma Chameleon - Culture Club

It was thought appropriate that the photographs taken today should be published today instead of those taken yesterday which were intended for today which will now be posted tomorrow leaving any images taken tomorrow to be published the day after tomorrow. So, now that's been cleared up we can get onto the Olympic Torch Relay.

The weather forecast had pointed to a better day than the last 2 or 3, but things could hardly have got worse, so at 06:00 awaiting the bus to take me to Portland it was a blessing to see the sun rise over Weymouth Inner Harbour and into an almost cloudless sky.

It's a 20 minute walk from the bus stop to the Lighthouse and already the sky was being covered by threatening looking clouds as the convoy of vehicles started to roll down Bill Road. It was 06:40 when the rain started. Luckily, it stopped raining at 06:45 and not a drop has fallen since!

Included in this were the logistics and passenger carriers seen here passing the Portland Bird Observatory and heading towards the 'active' lighthouse in the distance.

Then came the Police, 'mob-handed', 16 motorcycles in all and about a dozen cop cars. Nicknicknicknicknicknick!

The first people I met were 4 of the Stewards, without whom the event would not run at all smoothly, standing outside of The Pulpit Inn. For those with better eye-sight, the Landlord Danny Fox can just be seen on the pub steps waiting for the first £ of the day to arrive.

Time for a scout around and poke my nose into everything as the crowd started gathering.

Some of the Coppers I soon discovered were from the Met so what an 'Away Day' for them to get out of London for a while.

Lots of music, dancing and general frivolity around the 'sponsors' vehicles, while at the lower end of the car park

hundreds of people (mostly youngsters) were heading for

Pulpit Rock from where this leg of the Relay was to start. 

While the various young people's organisations

including the Combined Cadet Force, Girl Guides, Bot Scouts et al, sorted themselves out,

others were seeking a vantage point to get the best view.

With the terrain here being so undulating with hillocks and piles of Portland Stone, it is almost like a natural amphitheatre so everyone could see.

Next came these 3 Torch Escort Marshals who probably needed organising as well,

that's why I joined them!

Of all the Marshals only 2 have undertaken the full 56 days thus far, so by definition VICKY WALKER and PETE EDGINGTON have been all round Great Britain in the past few weeks. Well done to them all.

and so the show got on the road led by Police Outriders then this mini bus carrying

members of the OLYMPIC SAILING TEAM.

Sponsors SAMSUNG,

COCA COLA and

LLOYDS TSB followed up leaving a 

CHEERING CROWD welcoming the first Torch Bearer who ran just the few hundred yards from Pulpit to the main road.

From there it was handed to a firm Portland favourite David Darby who, ever since we met in 1970, has been an accomplished long distance runner and has shown more young people than perhaps he can remember the ways of the Sportsman/Woman!

 

Dave carried the mantle a far as the Pulpit Inn, under the watchful eye of

the World, National and Regional media.

The 'flame' was past to the next bearer who, on being ignited

 

 held his Torch aloft before setting off himself along

Bill Road

and onward to the crowd waiting outside of the Portland Bird Observatory. Those who know him, may just be able to pick out Martin Cade the Warden of the PBO.

 

The clouds were still darkening and looking closely among them the Police Helicopter can be seen as a small dot,

 

but ever watchful over all proceedings. I had wanted to be back in Weymouth for the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron on the beach. It was touch and go if traffic would allow, but the bus got me close and well in time.

However, I was not to know of the delays that would await me, the first being an encounter with DAVE HAMILTON, one of the Torch Bearers, doing photo calls in front of the Portland Stone Olympic Rings Monument outside of Weymouth Railway Station.

This young lady, obviously from the Orient, then struck a pose and said to Dave something like "my friends in Taiwan will be pleased to see this shot". Now, who do we know who is recently returned from Taiwan?? I needed no further coaxing

as I introduced myself before getting my hands on an Olympic Torch. The absolute HIGHLIGHT of my day was when 

SYENNY (Shenny) LEE accepted my invitation to lunch and a potted tour of that part of Weymouth. A University Graduate who has studied in Taiwan, China, the USA and Italy is now in Weymouth for 10 weeks to further her knowledge. We dined together at The William Henry where Syenny was keen to sample traditional English food, so what better than Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding and thick, thick Bisto Gravy? From there she got the Cook's Tour of the White Horse on the Hill, Punch and Judy, Weymouth's Georgian architecture plus King George III himself, albeit his statue, plus his Batheing Machine. I have no religion but believe whole-heartedly in KARMA (what you do to others will be done unto you) which visited me today. Regular readers will no doubt remember the warm welcomes I was afforded by Vicky Cheng, Bruno and Emily Walther and many others in Taiwan, today was the day to reciprocate in the hope of more to come. Watch This Space!