Well what a day – we didn’t achieve a whole lot of distance but we had some fun in 6 hours.
It started well with the group letting the tyres down before heading out in the dunes and it wasn’t long before the Trip Leader Brenton was bogged just heading out onto the beach at the start. The sand was very soft and he managed to get out on his own.
It was then decided that we would do the dune track. Again we didn’t progress too far when some of the smaller vehicles struggled over one of the rutted dunes. They were bellying out on the high centre of the track. A few backs and forwards and there was only one to pull over.
Around the next corner and there was a call from the Tour Leader – help. Brenton had headed up a dune but managed to slip off to the side – a change clothes moment. With the placement of a strap onto another vehicle and some reversing and the group was on the way again. This is all in the first kilometre of the trek.
We had spent a bit of time by now and we had found ourselves back on the beach and a good spot for some lunch.
Geoff was having some issues putting up his bat wing shelter (it was its second time up). Our shade was a little easier to put up.
After lunch we trekked back into the dunes and again the smaller vehicles had a little trouble getting over the soft dunes. We were starting to get some distance now but this was soon to change.
We again heard the Trip Leader on the radio asking for some help. The beach was again soft and he was bogged 2/3 up the beach with John also bogged.
The next hour and a half was spent getting 2 vehicles out of the sand using digging, shade cloth (failed), pushing and finally an eight strap and nine strap pull with my Patrol for Brenton and Geoff’s Cruiser for John.
After an afternoon drink, it was back out onto the road, tyres up and head back to Robe – we had only got 6 kilometres south but had a good time.
Time for an icecream in Robe before heading home after 10 days away.
