Day 43 - 19/1/14 – Beachport -> Robe SA

Despite the 50km/h freezing cold winds blowing of the Artic Ocean the boys and I packed the truck and headed out to do some lobster catching. As discussed previously using a pot to catch these little critters requires a $90 license where as using a drop pot is free and as this was going to be my last opportunity to catch one the choice was obvious.

We headed for postmans rock which is a large rocky peninsula that extends about 150m to sea and has a 40 m long rock ledge running parallel to the beach that has about 10cm of water running over it at low tide. I tucked the boys away in a warm cave and hopped my way out to the ledge and then walked the 20m to a spot where I was sure a lobster would be sitting on the bottom hungry for a feed. The seas pounding on the other side of the rock ledge were looking pretty ferocious but I was completely protected from their wrath except for the 10cm of freezing cold water I was standing in. 

Sam's drawing of me and my lobster drop pot

The way the drop pot works is you leave it on the ocean floor for 15 minutes and the lobster crawls onto it as it lays flat to eat the yummy bait you have left for it. You then pull it quickly to the surface using the rope and the tasty blighters can’t escape. The only problem was that I had to stand in the 10cm deep water holding the rope and float while they crawled onto it. I waited patiently knowing that it had been a great season for lobsters and was super excited, despite been entering the initial stages of hypothermia, to pull in my drop pot. The water was unusually murky due to the waves and as it got close to the surface for about half a second I could see something in the pot and a half a second later I realised it was a big piece of kelp! Oh well, maybe they weren’t awake yet I better have another go. 15 minutes more of freezing cold wind blowing and a freezing cold foot spa and again I was sure I would be successful but no they were obviously not enjoying the weather either. Due to the fact I could no longer feel my feet I decided to find a place closer to the dry part of the ledge to have another go and again 15 minutes later I had nothing to show. I decided to head back in as there was a high possibility that one of the boys would have killed each other by now anyway.

Amazingly they were happily playing but were pretty disappointed with my empty basket! On the way back we headed to the other side of the peninsula for another crack but alas it came back empty again! Frozen and a little disappointed with my donuts we headed back to camp.

A second hiding place for the boys

After packing up we drove to Robe we had to make one of the toughest decisions of our trip; should we have the two lobsters we were given last night for lunch or dinner! We found a fishing and camping show on in town so our decision was made for us; we wondered through the show and then tucked into the biggest $5 worth of hot chips I have seen since the 80s. 

Even  Flinders and Boudin were cheering for the Aussies!

The past few days had been pretty busy so we headed back to camp, set up the TV and lazed about for the afternoon watching the cricket. In the break De prepared the salad and I peeled the lobster as taught by our generous donater Whitey.  It was delicious made even better as it was washed down by a yummy Jamison Run Sem Sav Blanc from the Coonawarra. 

We put the boys to bed and watched the Aussies pull of an incredible victory at the Gabba; well done lads!