The Road to Beachport

I will start with a little known meteorological fact.  The Limestone Coast weather forecast includes a severe weather warning for low winds.  This allows residents used to proceeding while leaning at 45^o into the prevailing Southerly gale to get upright before falling on their schnozz.

Jeez it has been windy for the 2 days we have been here.

I will begin with a few snaps of flowers.  I can't really identify them, but will have a look at our Eyre Peninsula books when we get home.  Meantime they are pretty.

 I normally hate grasses but this one gets a spiffy rating.

 This is an overall shot of plant of the day.

 Here is a close up of the open flowers.

At Nora Creina I started up a steep track towards the beach and hit this mini-dune going slowly.  I then went very slowly backwards as we had no need to drive over the top.

 When we got over the top the rocks were rather spectcular.

This shot explains why the beach here is called Stinky Bay.

 There were a few waders there, including 7 Ruddy Turnstones but they didn't hang around.

The settlement of Nora Creina is mainly fibro shacks.

The road in is gated, but not locked, so they claim it as private property - fair enough.  On the subject of locked gates the Lock the Gate campaign is alive and well down here.  Presumably there is a geological link to the Bass Strait oil fields.

Time for a few birds.  I was very surprised to find 2 Great Crested Grebes on Fresh Dips Lake.  They were not on the Robe bird list (nor, until now, on the eBird list for the site).

 At least 8 Musk ducks were at Fresh Dip Lake (and another seen in the evening at the Marina in Robe).

 2 Emus in a paddock beside Bog Lane were a surprise.

 When we got back to Robe we went for a walk on Long Beach and found 2 Hooded Plovers.  I thought I had failed to get one in focus, but 2 photos turned out well.

 Looking at its reflection?

 One of the sculptures going in to Beachport.

 A mural in Beachport.

 This was called a wind bottling plant.  It suggests the wind is a constant feature down here.

 Some hero had driven their 4x4 on to the jetty

The two guys on the main boat had gone out there in the tinny, which at times had questionable grasp on the water.  That they did this, without life jackets, in these conditions is certainly a contender for a Darwin Award,

 The Beachport light house.

Taking the scenic drive gave several great views.  This is Post Office Rock.  I tried to get out there but the wind was so strong it made boulder leaping on the causeway a hazard.  The sign is about eroding dunes - presumably washed there from somewhere else!

 It being 11 November there had been a ceremony at the Robe War Memorial.  The roses were all crocheted: something I had never seen until Broken Hill earlier this year, but have now found many times.

Bird of the Day:  Marsh Sandpiper got the nod as I rarely see this species.  Many contenders today: Musk Duck (especially the one in the marina) Great Crested Grebe; Emu, Little Egret, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Hooded Plover were all jostling on the red carpet.
Plant of the day: Purple thing with rosette.
Creek name of the day  All Creeks were Drains.
Oddity of the day:  4x4 parked on Beachport Jetty!.
Striking thing of the day:The extreme wind!
Pie rating:  Deli in Beachport. I think it was called spicy beef and was very flavoursome with rosemary.  Good crust, meaty and not too much gravy.  Again up there with Holbrook and Penola.