Port Mac (properly Port Macdonnell) is about 30 minutes by car from Mount Gambier in South Australia and it is known in the tourist brochures as the Limestone Coast. You can call it The Bay too and the locals will still know what you are talking about. Never The Port though - for some reason, this just isn't right!
The only way to reach The Bay is by car. Sadly, there are no rail links and no public transport at all. Don't even consider a taxi and it is too far to walk. Some mad people have been known to bike it out there but, be warned, there are hills....and remember the flies!
On an earlier post, I showed you around the town itself a little bit but now I want to drive around the coastal road a small way towards the lighthouse, high and unmissable up on a limestone outcrop.
Looking inland, you can see the lighthouse and apart from its jaunty red and white stripes, it is unremarkable as lighthouses go. The real views are behind you so turn 180 degrees and look out over the sea.
See what I mean? Go closer and look at the cliffs and you will see how the coastline got its name.
Craggy is a word which comes to mind and sharp would be another. Not a friendly coast for ships before the lighthouse was added. Many natural harbours and coves though.
There are plenty of places which are not suitable to go into the water and then there are the odd hidden beaches like this one here....
This has been one of my favourite spots since childhood and it is not at all unusual to have it all to yourself. The bay can have some interesting smells from the seaweed but some of the beaches are completely clear and make for a rewarding experience. I don't mind the seaweed smell too much, I guess that I became used to it over time and it sort of goes with the area.
These little sheltered coves provide a bit of respite from the relentless sea, remembering that the next major landmass to the south is Antarctica! Husband Rob would disagree with me but I find The Bay quite swimmable. That water is clean too.
That sign puts everything into perspective!
The bay attracts visitors from everywhere!
Not everywhere, as you can appreciate from the photograph above, is suitable to take a dip. Some of these waters are deep and the rocks are razor sharp. Fishing can be good though. Sometimes, just sitting and gazing meditatively out to sea is the way to spend the time.
The Rocks in the water are solid but not so the caves and adornments on the shore. The photo below shows a lacey formation which if you were to touch it, it would crumble to sand in your fingers. It has patterns which would almost suggest that the rocks were forms from petrified seafoam.
The crayfish love these wild holes in the sea and the churning current. Not easy to persuade them to give up their digs though!
Crayfish (Rock Lobster) are one of the top catches in this area and most go into the Asian markets. They can sell for extortionate prices - we lived thirty minutes from this coast and almost never bought crayfish. It is really sad that the locals can not enjoy this wonderful delicacy because of the ridiculously inflated prices.
The Bay is worth a visit and the only place to hire a car if you have not done this already is Mount Gambier. One good thing though - I have never seen a traffic jam on the way in my life! People are coming and going all the time and the roads are excellent.
There are more food options than ever before now in the town of Port Mac itself. A small corner store caters for some practical needs and there is a bakery, pub and several good fish and chip shops. Additionally, there is a smallish cafe.
As you can see, this is not a gourmet list and it doesn't cater for specific diets. If you are vegan or very strict with your choices, or if there is someone in your party with food allergies, your best bet is one of the larger supermarkets in Mount Gambier before you set out. You have been warned! Australian towns are isolated and some are not catered for in the same way expected by Europeans. It is too far to go only to find out that nowhere sells tofu!
For my money, nothing beats fish and chips eaten on the beach front! I love the way the gulls join in and expect their share.
Whatever you do, when the inland temperatures rise, do as the locals do and find your way to The Bay and spend the evening with your feet in the water.
Words and photos: (C) Debbie von Grabler-Crozier 2014
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