Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour from Ringstead

This will be the scene, twelve months from now, of the Sailing Olympics. Portland Harbour is protected from the west by The Fleet (the shingle bank that runs from Abbotsbury to Portland), from the south by the Isle of Portland, from the north by Weymouth and from the east by breakwaters. This means the water is relatively calm and shallow but there is still plenty of wind, so ideal for sailing boat races.

In the centre of the photo is the gap between the breakwaters (you can see some kind of Victorian defence structure on the one to the left). Behind, in the Harbour itslef, are various naval vessels. Portland was a naval base until the mid-90s when the RN pulled out. Now the area is regenerating, and the sailing olympics are helping the process. There is a large new marina to the right, and on the shore are new shops, restaurants and a hotel, converted from former MOD buildings. I understand hundreds of homes are being built for contestants without kitchens (teams will eat communally), to be sold on as affordable starter homes after 2012.