THIS week, I’d like to highlight the bulldog spirit of two business partners who run the Cove Inn on Portland.

At the height of the storms on Monday night, Jackie Breakspear and Amanda Broughton-South faced the full wrath of a boiling, angry sea as it crashed on to the defences in front of their pub.

With the causeway closed and siren sounded, they waited for the inevitable.

One giant wave broke over the seawall, leaving pebbles and floating benches in its wake.

Despite this, the two licensees held their ground and their breath.

Fortunately, the defences held, the tide turned and the sea, while continuing to hurl frothy spray against the building, receded.

The danger had passed.

Behind the pub one or two homes suffered minor flood damage, but the owners had no intention of leaving either.

Throughout it all the Environment Agency, emergency services, local authorities and volunteer groups stuck resolutely to their guns, advising, helping and keeping residents informed. It was a masterly performance in appalling conditions.

The Heights Hotel also deserves thanks for catering for more than 20 people who got stuck on the island when the causeway closed for several hours.

Extreme weather is not our sole preserve, though.

On a lighter note, I couldn’t help smiling at the recent story of a ship full of global-warming enthusiasts who found themselves trapped in Antarctica, ironically by the very ice they were trying to prove was disappearing. In fact, NASA data shows Antarctic ice expanding at its fastest rate in years.

Meanwhile, my sympathy extends to all those affected by these extreme conditions, not least in South Dorset.

But, if the resoluteness of Portlanders is anything to go by, these storms appear to generate new friendships and cement a feeling of togetherness that the island fosters.