Portland Marine Week 2007

Events throughout the week

Boat trips

 

Portland coast and the Bill

For Marine Week only, the MV FREEDOM operated trips to get a sea level view of Portland Harbour breakwaters, the East Weares and the cliffs of Portland, the Race and the inaccessible cliffs beyond the Bill. Trips lasted for approximately 2 hours.

Trips left from North Quay in Weymouth (opposite the Borough Council Offices, SY677786) and ran from the 13th to the 19th August. Trips left at 9am, midday, and 3pm. All trips were weather dependant and some had to be cancelled. The cost was adults £7 and children £4.50. Booking essential as space is limited. There is space for up to six wheelchairs on the MV FREEDOM.

 

Portland Harbour

For Marine Week only, take a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) trip with commentary around Portland Harbour. Get up close to normally inaccessible areas, and hear about the wildlife, sea industries and marine recreation. Trips last 1.5 hours.

The RIB left from the Aqua Hotel pontoon near Castletown car park (SY687744). The trips ran 11th-19th August  daily, leaving at 9:30, 10:45, 12 noon, 1:30, 2:45, 4:00, and 5:30pm. All trips were weather dependant and some had to be cancelled. The cost was adults £9 and children £5.

 

Glass bottom boat on The Fleet

Explore the underwater world of the Fleet Lagoon in the glass bottom boat, including the seabed of Portland Harbour, Ferrybridge, the local crab and prawn potting industry, Fleet Oyster Farm, and the wildlife of the Fleet. Trips last 1 hour and leave from the jetty near the Crab House Café, Wyke Regis (SY665763). Sailing times are 09:30, 10:45, 12 noon, 13:30, 14:45, 16:00 and 17:30. All trips are dependant on the weather. The trips will cost adults £4 and children £2.50. Booking is essential, ring 01305 759692.

 

Weymouth to Portland Castle

White Motor Boats Ltd operates a daily ferry service using MV MYGIRL from Weymouth to Portland Castle, subject to weather and sea conditions. Passengers receive a 20% discount on admission charges to Portland Castle. Journey time is 40 minutes. There is a daily service from Brewer’s Quay in Weymouth (SY680786) leaving at 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30. The return sailings from Portland Castle leave at 11:20, 13:20 and 15:20. The single cost is adults £5, child/senior £3.50, family £14.50 while a return ticket costs adults £7, child/senior £5 and a family £20. Further information on 01305 785000 or 07749 732428.

 

Trails

 

Island minibus tour

Around the Island guided tours took in Ferrybridge, Portland Harbour, viewpoints, the prisons, Portland Bill, the quarries, the Chiswell sea defences and Chesil Beach and lasted 1.5 hours. The trips ran daily for the period 11-19th August. The minibus left from the Chesil Beach Centre at 10:30 and 14:30 with an additional trip at 19:30 on the 18th and 19th August only. The cost was £1 and booking was required.

The bus can accommodate up to three wheelchairs and has a tail-lift.

 

Self-guided walks

Explore Chesil Beach and The Fleet at your own pace using an audio system to receive detailed information on the marine plant and bird life around you, the formation of the shingle ridge, environmental concerns, local and military history. Guide time is around 1.5 hours. Audio handsets were available from the Chesil Beach Centre. A small deposit had to be paid when collecting the handset.

 

Marine trail quiz

A do-it-yourself trail for all the family—do it in one day or take all week. Do it on foot, on a bicycle, bus or in a car. Find and collect marine treasures and answer questions to win an environmental goody bag! Collect the quiz sheets from the Chesil Beach Centre or Portland Bill Tourist Information Centre.

 

 

Other events for the week

 

Portland Bill Tourist Information Centre

Displays information on marine wildlife and conservation. Come and look for dolphins and see how we are getting on with installing new cliff cameras at the Bill.

Open daily 11am to 5pm. Full disabled access.

 

Roving underwater camera

The Dorset Coastlink roving underwater camera will be deployed at various locations, subject to tide and weather conditions. See live images with commentary. More information near the day from the Chesil Beach Centre or Portland Bill TIC.

 

Portland Bird Observatory book shop

A large selection of natural history books and guides to browse and buy. Also see what birds are about. The shop is located adjacent to the Portland Bird Observatory at the old lower lighthouse on the road to Portland Bill (SY681690). Shop open Sat, Sun and Weds, 10am to 4pm.

 

Smuggling and shipwrecks display

Two new exhibition boards in Portland Museum’s shipwrecks and smuggling gallery introduce Portland’s historical relationship with the sea, and provide insight into shipwrecks and smuggling, highlighting particular maritime artefacts in the museum.

Portland Museum is located in Wakeham (SY696713) and is open daily from 10:30am until 5pm. Admission costs are adults £2.20, over 60’s £1.10, children/students free.

Access: one or two steps to ground floor, steep steps to first floor.

 

Sea Art

A mixed exhibition of painting, print, photography and sculpture by Dorset artists: David Nicholls, Ron Jesty, Christine Allison, Robin Rae, Su Briggs, Joy White, Mike Jackson, David Brooke, Duff Pearce, and Ben Pipe. The exhibition will be at the White Stones Café Gallery in Easton and is open 11am to 5pm Mon to Sat, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays.

 

Chiswell Walled Garden

See the plant species which will grow in saline conditions in this garden run by the Chiswell Community Trust. The garden is open daily from 10am to 6pm.

There is full disabled access to the garden.

For more information on the White Stones Café Gallery visit their website here.

For more information on the Chiswell Community Trust visit their website here

Last updated 22/8/2007

For more information on White Motor Boats and the services they offer visit their website here

For more information on MV FREEDOM and the group that supports it click here

For more information on the Fleet Observer and for trips outside of Marine Week click here

For more information on the Portland Bird Observatory and the book shop click here

There is more information on Portland Museum on the W&PBC website here.

For more information on the Portland Bill TIC see the W&PBC website here.