Robe 8th & 9th May

We had a fast trip to Robe after a bumpy voyage through Backstairs Passage. Thank goodness we headed the local info about going through with the tide. At 2.30am we hove to about eight miles from Robe as it was windy, very dark with no moon and plenty of obstacles in our path in the form of limestone outcrops. This is not called the Limestone Coast for nothing. Entered the marina at 9am under escort from a local recreational fisherman. He must have decided we needed a little help, which in fact was great as the entrance was difficult to spot from the bay. We tied up on the end of the fuel jetty and were directed to the council building nearby to book in and be allocated a pen for the next two nights. This is a lovely marina, very protected, but care is needed as there are some very shallow patches that are not dredged. We found this out because at one stage we came to a standstill and when I looked over the side it was obvious that Peter had grounded us. Luckily it was soft mud and a quick rev of the engine fixed the problem.

The council receptionist was very friendly and helpful and we were soon allocated our berth close to the yacht club and showers. Our pen cost us $44 for the first night and $22 each night thereafter. After one of the best showers I've had we walked down town looking for brunch. The Union Café proved to be excellent and Peter had a huge steak burger, chips and salad and I had a chicken wrap with all the trimmings. YUM! We felt much better after that. Next job was the laundry, which we found at the local caravan park about 2kms up the beach. At least it was a nice walk.

Today we started with a boat clean up and Peter refuelled and topped up the water,
then it was time for the touristy bit. We spotted a walk track around Point Dombey, which started near our marina, and followed it along the rocky cliffs to the Obelisk. The Obelisk was a pyramid type structure erected in about 1860 by a local to help ships find the port of Robe in a coast that has few outstanding landmarks to guide them. Many ships were wrecked on this coast in the early days. The sea here has weathered the limestone cliffs into interesting shapes and at one place there were three tunnels through which the sea was pounding.

The town of Robe is a pretty little seaside town of 1500 people. It has many historical buildings and quaint cottages and these are made of limestone. We enjoyed a walk around town looking at the sights.

I have decided that I will become a bit more creative in my cooking while on the boat, partly because it is difficult to cook some of the usual stuff I do and partly because I have decided it's time to branch out into new territory. (We'll see how long this lasts!) Tonight I have cooked Zucchini and Feta Fritters with Tomato Salsa, which I might say were very nice. I have included a photo of my culinary delight especially for you Clive.

Our next stop is Port Macdonnell.