A faded sign promoting luxury lifestyle waterfront living in the planned marina development stands on a turfed, but vacant block of land opposite the Tin Can Bay Marina. The development sems to have stalled but the marina has been renovated and extended. It is neither wide nor deep. The amenities block, including the laundry, is new and clean and boasts a shower caddie in each shower cubicle. You will pay $2.20 to do a load of laundry, making it the cheapest we’ve come across. Value such as this brought on an immediate washing frenzy! Our berth is opposite the curiously named restaurant, ‘Codfather Too’, which features lime green interior. Most people sit out on the deck. We became the main entertainment on Sunday after our failed attempt to berth Raven caught the attention of all 8 restaurant patrons. I happily took a bow in acknowledgement of their applause after we were securely berthed, much to the annoyance of the 60-something guitar strumming, paid entertainer with the obligatory grey beard, earring, sailor’s cap and general demeanor of an aged pirate. He just needed the parrot on his shoulder.
Things were off to a good start. It was time to start exploring and of course we made for the Yacht Club with a view to booking for lunch for the Melbourne Cup, especially as the restaurant had already put up a sign ‘closed Tuesday’. The Yacht Club’s sign read ‘closed until Wednesday 5:00pm’.
Leaving Peter to work on Raven I struck off in the general direction of the shops and got lost. Fortunately the helpful locals set me straight. The shopping centre consists of an IGA, a fish shop, a small Mitre 10, a pharmacy (with great advice about managing midge bites), a post office and not much else. Of course there is also a pub, The Sleepy Lagoon, about halfway between the marina and the shops. My purchase made, a carton of VB, and my hands already full with IGA shopping bags one of the hotel staff took pity and drove me back to the marina. Very nice of him.
With nothing left to wash, we waddled off to the hotel, like two fire-engine-red Michelin men decked out in our wet weather gear because Huey had already opened the heavens. This turned out to be the only Melbourne Cup venue in town. It was steamy and busy when we arrived. The local women were dressed in the spirit of Cup Day, many wearing the latest fashion in Cup headwear, the ‘Fascinator’ and they certainly were. As soon as the rain eased we made a dash back to the marina without having placed a bet or eaten lunch and wondered why we went there in the first place.
We might be here a little longer than we had hoped / planned so I am keen (Peter isn’t) to take the ‘Dolphin Cruise’ to Rainbow Beach on the tiny wooden ferry that has been designed along the lines of an Eskimo Pie. It operates from Barnacle Bill’s Jetty after the daily dolphin feeding ritual. If we are here long enough the Yacht Club might eventually open.
Things were off to a good start. It was time to start exploring and of course we made for the Yacht Club with a view to booking for lunch for the Melbourne Cup, especially as the restaurant had already put up a sign ‘closed Tuesday’. The Yacht Club’s sign read ‘closed until Wednesday 5:00pm’.
Leaving Peter to work on Raven I struck off in the general direction of the shops and got lost. Fortunately the helpful locals set me straight. The shopping centre consists of an IGA, a fish shop, a small Mitre 10, a pharmacy (with great advice about managing midge bites), a post office and not much else. Of course there is also a pub, The Sleepy Lagoon, about halfway between the marina and the shops. My purchase made, a carton of VB, and my hands already full with IGA shopping bags one of the hotel staff took pity and drove me back to the marina. Very nice of him.
With nothing left to wash, we waddled off to the hotel, like two fire-engine-red Michelin men decked out in our wet weather gear because Huey had already opened the heavens. This turned out to be the only Melbourne Cup venue in town. It was steamy and busy when we arrived. The local women were dressed in the spirit of Cup Day, many wearing the latest fashion in Cup headwear, the ‘Fascinator’ and they certainly were. As soon as the rain eased we made a dash back to the marina without having placed a bet or eaten lunch and wondered why we went there in the first place.
We might be here a little longer than we had hoped / planned so I am keen (Peter isn’t) to take the ‘Dolphin Cruise’ to Rainbow Beach on the tiny wooden ferry that has been designed along the lines of an Eskimo Pie. It operates from Barnacle Bill’s Jetty after the daily dolphin feeding ritual. If we are here long enough the Yacht Club might eventually open.
PS: Tin Can Bay use to be known as Tucan Bay, Tucan being an old word for Dugong..
Picture: Tin Can Bay Marina
Picture: Tin Can Bay Marina
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