poured into Olympic Stadium for Friday night's opening ceremony.

Dressed in light blue blazers, yellow shorts and navy socks, and led by flag bearer Brian Wellman , each of the Island contingent also carried bright red and white umbrellas. And in a repeat performance of last year's Pan-Am Games opening, at a given signal the team unfurled their brollies, twirling them above their heads to create a kaleidoscope effect. TV cameras apparently didn't pick up the sideshow, but plenty in the crowd did, including US President Bill Clinton , and they were quick to show their appreciation with warm applause.

*** THERE was a time when Bermuda's athletes always stood out at opening ceremonies, merely by virtue of their distinctive, traditional shorts.

But it's a fashion which has finally caught on. Several of the 197 delegations who paraded on Friday night wore Bermuda-like shorts, including the sizeable contingents from Great Britain and Denmark.

With athletes waiting for up to four hours in muggy conditions for their turn to enter the Stadium, it appeared a sensible choice.

*** BANNER headlines across the front page of Saturday's Atlanta Constitution simply called it `The Greatest', and TV commentators were positively drooling over the high-tech extravaganza which launched these Games.

But not eveybody shared those sentiments.

Popular opinion among the overseas media was that Atlanta's big show paled in comparison with Barcelona's four years ago and even lacked the entertainment value of Los Angeles back in 1984, the last time the US hosted the Games.

After a spectacular opening, the ceremony quickly became a long yawn as the procession of countries dragged on for almost three hours. And that wasn't good news for Bermuda, one of the first teams to enter the Stadium, as the athletes were herded into a small, designated area and kept on their feet until long after midnight. Bermuda's sailors finally got back to their Savannah base at 5 a.m.

*** SAILORS in Savannah have been told they could face thunderstorms over the next 10 days. But at least they should get plenty of warning.

A special National Weather Service facility with five full-time staff has been set up off Wassaw Sound to monitor and predict all factors affecting the weather around the yachting venue.

They will use Doppler radar to monitor thunderstorm activity and sensors to track wind, waves and currents.

In fact, all of the latest state-of-the-art technology will be used in an attempt to give competitors a jump on the weather.

ADRIAN ROBSON