Everyone back home okay?

Everyone now back in Blighty safe 'n' sound?

Myself, having waved off several of the teams Saturday lunchtime, spent the rest of the day in a zombie-like state due to general tiredness - I believe the medical terminology is “fried brain syndrome” - either relaxing or shopping for those essentials of life … wine, beer, all those tasty French nibbles had to find here in the UK, etc.

After a good night’s sleep in a hotel (bit weird really, never heard a ferry hooter or passenger announcement once during the night???), I spent an ‘interesting’ Sunday at a beach festival four miles west down the coast at Sangatte … yep, the very same village where the infamous now defunct transit camp was located. Invited by the local off-road group, some of which hail from the Café de Paris in Calais, we had a grand ol’ time driving on the beach, having a picnic, etc. All was fine until one of the group in a Nissan Patrol went too near the water’s edge and got stuck in the sand. Realising this I jumped in the Rangie to give him a tow. Trouble was (a) having got within towing range it was clear the sand was a lot softer thus I had trouble myself with traction, let along dragging 3 tons of Patrol, and (b) within a matter of minutes the tide started turning and the water began lapping around his types. Opps! This was quickly turning pear-shaped. Time to think of No.1 thought I, so with a group of about ten people pushing the already-engulfed Nissan and four pushing my Range Rover, the people-power rescue commenced. Still on fairly hard sand I just managed to escape up to higher ground, but the Patrol was not so fortunate. There was no way 30 people could have moved that vehicle, let alone just 10. The suction of the sand meant that only a winch would move it, and even then the odds were slim.

Fortunately a mate of mine from days gone by just happened to be at the very same beach festival with his 101 Forward Control Land Rover complete with a 12,000 lb winch (with the appropriate nickname of “Tug” I got to know him when I joined the Staffs & Shrops Land Rover Club whilst living in Stafford to set up the Weston Park International 4x4 & Military Show in 1997). Having first driven alongside me to the water’s edge, like myself he quickly realised that he too could become a victim of the approaching tide, so headed back to the high ground of the beach to attempt a rescue. Together with the winch cable (probably 30-35ft long) another SIX ropes and strops ranging from 6ft – 15ft had to be attached to reach the Nissan, which by now had water over its wheels! With my Rangie hooked up to the rear of the 101FC to provide a ground anchor, winching finally began. NOTHING - the Nissan wasn’t budging! With everything static out at sea, apart from the waves lapping around the Patrol that is, the only movement was by the 101 and Range Rover which were slowly being pulled down the beach northwards in the general direction of England; it was not looking good for the Nissan!

With two craft of the French equivalent of the R.N.L.I. lifeboat service bobbing up and down in the background plus a French coastguard helicopter hovering overhead, there appeared from nowhere an old beaten up tractor. It transpired it formed part of a display in the village at the Festival, so when the drama began some switched-on individual had alerted the driver who promptly made his way down to the beach … just in case. This proved to be turning point, as after several attempts of violent tugging the Patrol finally became dislodged from its watery grave to head inland. Just as well as by this time the water was up over its bonnet! Amazingly the Nissan’s diesel was still running throughout and did not even hydraulic, and this despite sucking in a little water (the vehicle did not have a snorkel). LUCKY MAN!!!

In fairness it was a case of “lucky all around” as originally there were about a dozen 4x4’s on the beach before the tide turned. Yes, definitely an ‘interesting’ day and one that will be incorporated into the itinerary for post Landy Rally 2009 … albeit without the impromptu swim!



Photos to follow BTW.

Id like to say a massive thanks to Tom and all of his team for a fantastic week, blood, sweat and tears, it was all well worth it.....
Cant wait to see everyones piccies, im sure you will all pass on the offer of viewing my photo of 'man wearing only a hat'.....
Hope to catch up with everyone really soon, and well done to absolutely everyone that took part - it was a challenge but we did it!!!
luv Kym (slow 'n' dirty)

Sounds like you had a lucky escape there Tom!!

Thanks for the kind words Slow 'n' Dirty, it's appreciated.




No Dave, unfortunately I saw their photo of 'man wearing only a hat' (Adam to be precise) and am just getting obver the shock!

Not a pretty sight I assure you!

ive balanced that photo out with the bikini photo

cheers to the organisers for another fantastic week,

we all got home ok

in fact things went so well that you can now tell where pinky parks here as theres a small amount of oil on the floor

cheers kieran

You know my little story about the beach rescue of the Nissan Patrol? Well, just to prove I wasn't exaggerating, see for yourself ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U9R0vvQJLk

Don't blink though or you'll miss my Rangie anchored behind tug's 101 Forward Control. Unfortunately the cameras missed our gallant but doomed attempt at winching the Patrol, but what follows is hilarious. As for the driver, he was Mr Calm throughout, but inwardly he must have been bricking it! Can't think why?

And just in case you are wondering, the beach festival was staged in aid of a protest by the good folk of Sangatte against a plan to pollute their stretch of beach with hundreds upon hundreds of mussel beds - thus ruining their stretch of sand for bathing. Hence the last words of the Utube piece stating NO TO THE MUSSELS AT SANGATTE. To show our support to the local 4x4 club (some of which are the mob from the Café de Paris in Calais), next year I'd like to see over 50% of the LR`09 entrants on that beach for a mass display of solidarity, only let's make it before the tide turns!

Just found another clip of the same incident, this time shot just a bit sooner when Tug was still trying to winch it. Okay it’s a long-winded amateurish piece of filming, but it certainly shows just how far out the Patrol actually was. Can’t think who that idiot was in the sea with the orange t-shirt???

Remember when you watch, the guy’s engine was running throughout the rescue, without a snorkel. His paper air filter was barely damp, so no he didn’t hydraulic his diesel motor; extremely lucky boy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCd5xjpGrhY&NR=1

very lucky i would say

i saw the nutter in the orange t-shirt going for a swim on the video