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Hi everyone, I have just returned from 4 weeks touring the cape. Had a great time except as the title suggests for the crossing at Nolan’s brook.
Travelling with three other vehicles we arrived at Nolan’s about 9:30 on Sunday 7th Aug. There was another group ahead of us consisting of a guy driving a Patrol and his son towing a camper with his Jeep. The father crossed first and then my mate crossed with his Navara. Then the Patrol backed up and put a snatch strap back to the Jeep to pull him through.
The jeep took off but the Patrol stalled and by the time he started the jeep was over the strap but he took off anyway. Looked a little messy to me. They drove some way up the track.
My mate Lawrie said go get your car and I will back up to assist you if needed.
I walked back across the creek and up to my vehicle. I had already tarped up the front and attached a bridle just in case a recovery was needed, so I drove down to the water’s edge.
Someone in our group said here is Lawrie now so I started my crossing. Mistake #1 I did not confirm Lawrie was ready on the UHF.
Mistake #2 I did not keep far enough left and immediately felt the driver’s side start to bog down. About two thirds of the way across I was bogged and going nowhere and Lawrie was nowhere to be seen.
What I was unaware of was the Patrol had used the snatch strap to rip of the Jeep’s rear brake calliper and they had stopped on the track to untangle the mess, blocking Lawrie backing up to cover me. When I heard “hear is Lawrie now” he was on foot coming down to tell me to wait.
When Lawrie seen me bog down he ran up and told the guys they need to move and they did without hesitation. Lawrie backed down and just as the shackle was attached to my bridle the car stalled. All up I was in the water for about 3 minutes. Water had come in up to my knees and I had a very distressed wife next to me.
Once out we moved to the camp site on the left as you exit heading north and started the task of emptying out the car a drying everything off.
The guy in the Jeep was a mechanic and had a hand held Diagnostic tool which he attached and received the error code ECU not found!!!!!!!!
We then proceeded to use compressed air and WD40 to try and dry every electrical connection we could find. A check of all oils found them to be water free.
At 8PM she finally started but there were a few dash lights on that shouldn’t have been.
The next morning we drove to Bamaga and I went straight to Bamaga Spares and RACQ to report the incident to my insurance. Apart from the dash lights the main concern was the Auto as it was not behaving itself at all, picking wrong gears and not changing up or down when expected.
Andy at Bamaga RACQ advised me that he believed the vehicle would be a total loss and advised me to get a claim number from my insurer. Once I had the claim number Andy did a report for the assessor and was asked to ship it to Townsville for a final assessment.
Lawrie offered to tow my camper and we shared the load between the other vehicles and we jumped in the back of his Navara for the next 3 weeks of our holidays. Good mates are the best piece of recovery gear you can take in my opinion.
After the final assessment it was deemed a total loss and I was advised I have new for old replacement, so I am now waiting for the insurer to source a new vehicle for me.
I also met a PP member from Bundy TFPRDO I believe, who offered to take back any extra stuff I needed. Thanx mate the offer was much appreciated.
Cheers
Alan
Travelling with three other vehicles we arrived at Nolan’s about 9:30 on Sunday 7th Aug. There was another group ahead of us consisting of a guy driving a Patrol and his son towing a camper with his Jeep. The father crossed first and then my mate crossed with his Navara. Then the Patrol backed up and put a snatch strap back to the Jeep to pull him through.
The jeep took off but the Patrol stalled and by the time he started the jeep was over the strap but he took off anyway. Looked a little messy to me. They drove some way up the track.
My mate Lawrie said go get your car and I will back up to assist you if needed.
I walked back across the creek and up to my vehicle. I had already tarped up the front and attached a bridle just in case a recovery was needed, so I drove down to the water’s edge.
Someone in our group said here is Lawrie now so I started my crossing. Mistake #1 I did not confirm Lawrie was ready on the UHF.
Mistake #2 I did not keep far enough left and immediately felt the driver’s side start to bog down. About two thirds of the way across I was bogged and going nowhere and Lawrie was nowhere to be seen.
What I was unaware of was the Patrol had used the snatch strap to rip of the Jeep’s rear brake calliper and they had stopped on the track to untangle the mess, blocking Lawrie backing up to cover me. When I heard “hear is Lawrie now” he was on foot coming down to tell me to wait.
When Lawrie seen me bog down he ran up and told the guys they need to move and they did without hesitation. Lawrie backed down and just as the shackle was attached to my bridle the car stalled. All up I was in the water for about 3 minutes. Water had come in up to my knees and I had a very distressed wife next to me.
Once out we moved to the camp site on the left as you exit heading north and started the task of emptying out the car a drying everything off.
The guy in the Jeep was a mechanic and had a hand held Diagnostic tool which he attached and received the error code ECU not found!!!!!!!!
We then proceeded to use compressed air and WD40 to try and dry every electrical connection we could find. A check of all oils found them to be water free.
At 8PM she finally started but there were a few dash lights on that shouldn’t have been.
The next morning we drove to Bamaga and I went straight to Bamaga Spares and RACQ to report the incident to my insurance. Apart from the dash lights the main concern was the Auto as it was not behaving itself at all, picking wrong gears and not changing up or down when expected.
Andy at Bamaga RACQ advised me that he believed the vehicle would be a total loss and advised me to get a claim number from my insurer. Once I had the claim number Andy did a report for the assessor and was asked to ship it to Townsville for a final assessment.
Lawrie offered to tow my camper and we shared the load between the other vehicles and we jumped in the back of his Navara for the next 3 weeks of our holidays. Good mates are the best piece of recovery gear you can take in my opinion.
After the final assessment it was deemed a total loss and I was advised I have new for old replacement, so I am now waiting for the insurer to source a new vehicle for me.
I also met a PP member from Bundy TFPRDO I believe, who offered to take back any extra stuff I needed. Thanx mate the offer was much appreciated.
Cheers
Alan
adamr7
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