Day 2, Part 2,

here really was our boat,

just returning from the previous trip,

hopefully it will not rain,

Diana wrapped up warm,

we were soon under way,

now it might be me, but I always thought it was a universal truth that the water should be on the outside of the boat,

a couple of typical London tugs,

we soon left the jetty behind,

and made our way past Nothe Fort,

the harbour is almost encircled by breakwaters,

some of which are still in use, I wonder if they caught any fish?

looking back towards the town,

and the end of another jetty, construction of these started in the mid 1850s,

work on the fort started in 1860, the whole area strategically important for defence of the realm,

I just had to!

it was a tad windy,

at the end of this breakwater a fisherman tries his luck,

we continued steaming,

past the entrance to another part of the defences,

I have no idea what the is building on the breakwater is for,

then this caught my eye, it was like a sailboard, but was lifted a few feet from the water,

there were two of them,

so a race it was then!

Portland is still a military base, anchored here a fleet auxiliary fuel tanker,

also an auxiliary marines support ship,

we made our way towards the open sea,

in the distance a tanker and the Aurora,

on this side the lighthouse now automatic,

at the start of D-Day this is the view that some 450,000 servicemen, mostly Americans would have had when they left the safty of Portland harbour, as it happens they would have embarked where we boarded the boat we are now on,

opposite another fort,

and fisherman trying his luck,

at one stage in the forts history the guns were replaced with more modern armaments, the old cannon dumped in the ocean by the fort,

it looks like he has caught one!

as we left the shelter of the breakwaters there was a decidedly large swell, Diana's new best friend was the cleat she was now holding onto for dear life!

the other side of the building I did not know its purpose that we saw on the way out,

on our way back,

passing the channel marker buoys,

back past the fishermen,

well we just had to do a selfie,

we passed a yacht heading into the harbour,

and the fort,

as Freedom started another trip,

we were soon at the jetty,

the sign say it all,

and this is the route we took,

and here is a little about the rowing ferry,

the houses almost like a picture postcard, it was just a shame it was not sunny, but there it is, at least it was not raining!

a quick pose,

at first I thought this was a canal leading inland,

but it was a slipway,

next to a refuelling station,

a look back,

and opposite where someone I guess is crabbing,

or trying not to fall in!

the most important house in town, the Harbour Master,

if you have or know of a youngster that wants a career on the sea,

this would be a good place to start, the T. S. John Jerwood, a sea cadet training ship,

a panorama of the harbour,

we just missed it, the road bridge being lowered as a ship needed passage,

back to as it normally is,

it is a sign of the times I guess, that so many of the aging population now need mobility scooters, that shops have sprung up not only selling them but hiring them out,

it was a tad chilly on the boat, so a coffee,

and a cake for Diana,

before we started exploring some of the local shops,

many of the streets festooned with bunting,

as usual,

we stopped off at a souvenir shop for a refrigerator magnet,

we are going to need a bigger refrigerator soon!

I rushed Diana past a few clothes shops,

another new type of shop for myself, one specialising in fantasy game models,

more clothes,

we walked into a part of the old town,

set in the building above where Diana is standing,

a look in another gift shop,

this one a gallery,

the streets so narrow,

into another,

naturally more clothes shops,

and then it was that time,

we had booked a table at Crustaceans, for our evening meal,

a few complimentary olives, I have to admit Diana ate mine,

a look at the menu,

'Cheers!',

I allowed myself just one glass of wine, as tomorrow we will be up early and I will be driving,

starters, a half portion of mussels for Diana,

for myself scallops with a topping of bacon,

eyes down and tuck in,

on to our mains, a whole lobster thermidor for Diana,

for myself a surf and turf, half a lobster and a steak, both of which were delicious, as was Diana's thermidor,

'Cheers!', the wine lasting well,

what a feast!

a coffee for Diana,

followed by a banoffee pie with ice cream,

for myself,

a raspberry crème brûlée, what a wonderful meal to round off our holiday, the bill came to £119.00 plus service at your discretion, it would have been a tad more if I had my usual bottle of wine instead of one glass, but still what a meal!

we took the night air,

Diana using my telephone,

to take a few photographs,

Diana's new telephone was still charging in our room,

lots of palms as it is typically a lot warmer down here in the winter so they survive quite well,

a bit of fun, a really old bathing hut, or as they were known Bathing Machines, that would be drawn down to the sea in more modest times,

we made a circular walk,

going past the town clock back to our hotel where we were off to bed.