XTrail Admin
Date Registered: 03-2006
TOTAL POSTS: 110
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Hahndorf to Murray Mouth
Posted by waky53 moved from another thread
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Out
A fun day was had by 21 assorted vehicles, including about 6 Exys, a Rav4, Prado, LandCruisers, Forester, Honda CRV, Jiminy, Ford Whatever & a Mazda or 2.
The day was misty & raining as we set out & then stopped about 3 mins later for a toilet stop. We headed thru the hills on the bitumen before heading onto some dirt roads that had turned a little mushy in one or 2 places. We continued on picturesque, but mainly bitumen roads to a lunch stop on the side of the Murray River at Goolwa where the wind had increased.
After lunch we headed for the car park at the beach to decide if we would attempt the sand. The consensus was no, as the wind was driving the waves high up the beach even tho' it was low tide.
The Landcruisers went for a short spin to check the sand & they reported it was quite firm, so most of us decided to give it a go. There was some tyre pressure reduction in the car park & a convoy went onto the beach. It was OK for about 3km then it started to get softer & vehicles were squirming from side to side in the existing ruts.
At about 6km most had decided to turn around & return back down the beach. On the way back I was driving a car width or 2 further to seaward & the sand was firmer but it was a bit disconcerting to see the occasional wave running right up the beach driven by the wind.
I think most were excited about their first foray onto a beach in their little 4WDs as they re-inflated the tyres back to road pressure.
Back
After our beach trek about 2/3 of the way to the Murray Mouth, we headed back into the hills to look at a crossing over the Finnis River to see if we could do it in the AWDs.
About 1 km before the crossing we came across a large puddle in the track & everyone gathered around to decide on its passability. A brave lady waded in a little way, the water half way up her calves, but it was a bit mushy on the bottom. We managed to convince one of the Landcruisers to have a go as cameras were pointed & spectators gathered around the puddle that was about 15m long.
The first 10m was OK up to the axles, then the cruiser dipped its bonnet into a deeper hole that made the water surge up & over it, as it chugged up the far bank. All the AWD drivers decided ..... NO WAY!!!!
We watched as a couple more vehicles not in our group went through, with the same effect of water pouring up over the bonnet as cameras clicked on all sides.
It was decided the AWDs would go the long way round to the crossing itself while the landcruisers went on through.
On arriving at the crossing we checked it out & at first it looked deep, but a cruiser went thru & showed it was only axle deep & fairly flat, although rocky.
One by one the Exys, Rav4 & others went through. One of the last through was a landcruiser driven by the brave wading lady which stalled at the exit, due to water on the electricals. It was pushed up to dry land but the car alarm was wailing & chirping & took quite while to turn off.
After a while she went to recross as we had to go back to get home, & she stalled again almost in the middle of the crossing.
During some discussion of how we would get her out, we discovered 2 of the Exys had lost their front number plates, presumably in the water but the drivers did not go in looking for them. Luckily mine has an extra screw into the bumper so it remained in place.
Luckily after a few minutes drying out the car was able to be started & driven out & everyone was able cross back over & head home.
A couple of kms up the road the convoy stopped again to try & silence the alarm that was going off again on the cruiser and at that point we left & headed off as we had a meeting to get to.
A fun, if a bit cold & damp day was had by all. We are looking forward to the next one.
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Regards Dave
Oct 2004 Series 2 ST Titanium Silver
Mods- Strut bar, Fuel cap holder,extra earth wires, K&N Filter, No door beep, Bonnet Struts
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22/Jan/2007, 5:43 am
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