Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, May 8, 2015: Portland Bill lighthouse at dusk

On the isle of Portland in Dorset, England, the tip of the isle 'Portland Bill' and nearby Chesil Beach are the graveyards of many vessels that failed to reach Weymouth or Portland Roads. The Portland Race is caused by the meeting of the tides between the Bill and the Shambles sandbank about 3 miles SE. Six strong currents break the sea so fiercely that from the shore that a continuous disturbance can be seen. Portland Bill Lighthouse guides vessels heading for Portland and Weymouth through these hazardous waters as well as acting as a waymark for ships navigating the English Channel. The next landfall to the due west is Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada. Here we see Portland lighthouse as dusk approaches.