ROLLED GU !, the full story with pics & video

Ok so most of you will already know i rolled my GU wagon over on Moreton last weekend, ive been waiting to get all the insurance/legal stuff out of the way, and that is pretty much all organised now.





So last week we spent on Moreton Island , we had opted to travel over catching a car ferry to straddie, and then another smally ferry to Moreton, so this is the way we would also return.



As i have travelled most of the QLD sand islands before, i am quite anal when it comes to matching travel times with tide times, for this reason, i booked our ferry departing moreton for dead on "low tide".


2 days before our departure i was told that our ferry crossing had been cancelled and could we arrive 2 hours earlier, not a big deal as 2 day notice was OK, we had planned our last day to travel the western side of the island for our return trip.

Knowing the western side is normally only passable a few hours outside low tide, we did a trial run the day before we had to catch the ferry, to check the tide hights etc, it soon became very clear that only 1 hour each side of low tide was going to be safe, and as we now had to catch the ferry 2 hours earlier, we would be forced to travel the eastern side or the island (the way we had arrived a week before)







We left the unit we were staying in, and was told new people are moving in the same day, we headed down the island with time to spare, we got close to the ferry pick up point and had heaps of time, so we found a spot for the kids to play, then about 30 min from pick up time we headed off again (it was about a 15min trip from where we were)



On the track we met a car coming the other way, he stopped me and said the track further down is very thin and to be carefull, he just drove through OK, but was near the edge, i said well i would turn around now, but this is the only ferry for the day, and its not like i have and accomadation or camping gear to spend a night, we already new the other side of the island was not passable, and would be a good 1 1/2 hours travel time anyway so not many options.



So we get to the thin bit of track, (and ive driven thinner), had a look and decided it was qutie driveable, as we all got out to have a look, i told everyone to just walk over anyway, and ill drive the car across, half way over the left front wheel started to drop and pull the car left, the added pressure on the rear wheel then made it start to crumble, next thing the whole side of the bank gave away !


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ll028Large.jpg

The roll was pretty slow really, the seatbelt kept me from getting thrown around with all our stuff, it kept me hanging upside down in my seat position, but not even a bruise, i jumped out quickly just incase the car was on fire.





No one came down the track for ages, the mrs headed off on foot toward the township to find help, i decided i didn't want to let the ocean take all our stuff, and started thinking of a recovery plan.




Some more pics......


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ll029Large.jpg



http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ll023Large.jpg



http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ll026Large.jpg




I was lucky my shovel was on the side of the roof basket that was not under the car, so we were of to a good start, id also just fitted a cheapo ebay winch the week before, it was about to get the test of a lifetime.


I keep all my recovery gear under the front seats, so no matter what you can always get to it, id just bought a snatch block, and in what id learned in my research for its purchase, i new just how i could use it to get the car back onto its wheels.

Now to find a tree !

I found a large tree in a perfect spot, winch, snatch block, and used a snatch strap (yes i know your not sposed to winch wiv em) around a slider, i dug a trench in the sand as a fall/pivot point, and thought , well lets see what this china winch can do.....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULpymMTz4nI



The winch/rope and car batteries worked beyond my expectations, after getting the car on the bank back on its wheels, i hoped it would start, it turned over, but would not fire, perhaps due to the 4L of oil that found its way into the snorkel ?

Even more winching was required to pull the car off the bank and onto the flat (beach), at this point i should thank Steve , a local guy who came along the track and helped me dig, he dug about as much sand as i did, (and i will be getting a carton to him when im back on my feet)


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ll037Large.jpg


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ll035Large.jpg


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ll033Large.jpg

Once on the flat , the car fired up , of course blowing clouds of smoke, the Rural Fire Brigade had arrived, and offered to chainsaw some of the dead trees on the beach so i could escape the now incoming tide.

Spewing!!! Are you ok?

Cheers

Bugga, the ol Trol looks helpless sittin there Steve, Good move making the family walk over mate.
So how did the ins' deal with it mate, No dramas ??? Who you insured with too.

the important thing is that you and the family are all ok!!!!! as for the trol well she can be repaired or worst case replaced,,,,,, just go's to show how easy it can all go wrong no matter how much planning and care is taken.

heres hoping the insurance comes through for and ges you back on the sand quick smart and in a hurry.

definatly not the right side of trol to photograph.

as wild and hek says above me. good, smart move with the family.
Bit of spit and polish, she'll come up like new :). back on the road in no time

A lot of people don't wear their seatbelts on the beach. This is a good reason why you should.

ozz

Mate I'm just glad that no one was hurt, Patrols can be fixed..

Once back on the track, we loaded what we could back into the car, a small chat with the Police who had no issues but closed the track to any further traffic, i then found out the ferry would not come back for us until the next day :(

Tony, another local from the rural fire brigade, who is just one of those all round top blokes, realising we had no place to stay, and no camping gear, managed to organise for us to stay in a local residence, it had no fridge, cooking or hot water available, but compared to sleeping outside (or in a car full of glass) it was a palace.





In the morning i had a flat tyre to change, Phone service was limited, and it was not until i was on the second ferry aproaching the mainland could i post my "tow truck" request thread, Bigrig & Dhuck (Scotty & Dave) from this forum came to my aid, and organised a tow truck to meet me in a few hours after i get to land.

Unfortunately, the tow truck crashed on its way to me, and so after a few ph calls , we decided to drive it a bit further to Bigrigs house for the night, where Bigrig organised a tow to my place in the morning.

These guys (and Dhucks wife Bec) went out of their way to come to my aid, and i thank you guys very much for all your help ! :bowdown:

WoW ended up being quite the adventure for you all a trip that you wont be forgeting to soon jst glad it ended well for you all in the end.

by the by you vidio has been bloked by EMI dont know why that would be