Weymouth Bay facts for kids
Weymouth Bay is a lovely, calm bay on the southern coast of England. It's located in the county of Dorset. This bay is special because it's protected from strong waves and currents. Two natural features, Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland, help keep its waters calm.
The bay has several sandy beaches. The most famous is Weymouth Beach. It's a long, curved beach with golden sand near the town of Weymouth. Weymouth Bay is also part of the famous UNESCO Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. This means it's a very important natural area.
Where is Weymouth Bay?
When experts from Natural England studied Weymouth Bay, they described its boundaries. They said the bay stretches from Rufus Castle on the Isle of Portland to Lulworth Cove. This area includes places like Portland Harbour, Weymouth Beach, and Ringstead Bay.
Sailing in Weymouth Bay
The waters in Weymouth Bay are perfect for sailing. Many people think they are some of the best sailing waters in northern Europe. This is because the bay is protected from strong winds that usually come from the southwest.
Sailors can easily reach Portland Bill from anywhere in Weymouth Bay. This is especially true when the tide is changing, as a special current flows along the eastern side of Portland.
Olympic Sailing Venue
Weymouth Bay is home to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. This academy is a special place for sailing. It was chosen to host the sailing events for the 2012 Olympic Games.
After the Olympic Games, the Academy kept improving. It wanted to make sure that the games left a lasting positive impact on the area. This is called a "legacy."
Weymouth Bay in Art
Weymouth Bay has even been featured in famous paintings! A well-known English landscape artist named John Constable painted a picture called Weymouth Bay: Bowleaze Cove and Jordon Hill. He created this painting between 1816 and 1817.
Constable was inspired to paint the bay after he spent his honeymoon on the south coast in October 1816. Today, this beautiful painting can be seen at the National Gallery, London.
