Take care on river crossings.

[mbasko]

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/497622283745898/permalink/2096907517150692/
Not clear on all the details.
Last weekend on a Turon River crossing.
Had to be lifted out with an excavator & looked a bit sad afterwards.

Turon River 1
But I've got a snorkel 0

 

[Phil8303]

I've seen one too many of these. I've actually told a few mates to go do a 4WD training course if they don't know what they're doing or simply don't understand how to operate their vehicle. Nothing worse than watching a good piece of machinery end up in the drink when it could have easily been prevented.

 

[aussiefarmer]

Is that off the upstream edge ?

 

[mbasko]

No downstream. Appears the water pushed it off.
The Facebook link has a recovery video with the excavator in daylight showing the flow direction.

 

[user 22230]

Yeah if it's still water as long as I know what's underneath I'll go bonnet deep, if it's flowing whole different world. People just under estimate the weight of water unfortunately. Before the purists jump in better add that is in a vehicle fitted with snorkel, diff breathers and know how to set a bow wave and keep it.
Top of stupid list was a bloke on Fraser with two kids in back seat in a vehicle that probably shouldn't have been there, drove in to a water hole deep enough to be half way up his doors and then stalled. No biggy as plenty of vehicles around to snatch him out. Whole new complication when he then opened his door and instantly put the water level inside the vehicle at the head height of the two small children strapped in the back seat. The scary reality is, that if not for the actions of others around at the time his two children would have died. Stupid is as stupid does.

 

[Manpa]

Yep, big difference in wading depth between still water and flowing water.

 

[Dihusky]

Yes, people need to realise that water is approx 800X denser than air. Even 300mm deep that's one hell of a lot of force on the side of a wheel!

 

[Jaros]

The wife and I crossed the river at Fitzroy Crossing just out from Kununurra -Stayed straight all the way over with the mags on the Pathy 1/2 underwater. Probably good to have the mags on ilo steel rims.

 

[mbasko]

And more rain around the area again today.
NSW SES Sofala Unit

 

[David-Karratha]

So many people who apparently got their entire knowledge of driving offroad from magazines or YouTube. Water is damned dangerous. Flowing water is even more so.
Not sure how many others agree, but on the rare occasions I couldn’t avoid travelling through water, I always had some rules for everyone in the car;
All seatbelts off (my kids always seemed to love this one)
All doors unlocked
All windows down fully

 

[Simmo]

Nah, I don't agree with that entirely.
I have crossed many deep crossings where the 4wd has dropped into a hole and have had water over the windscreen.
If the windows are electric, yeah, down stream passenger or driver window open.
If they have winders, leave the windows up. IMHO.
Best tip is, "If it's flooded, forget it".

 

[David-Karratha]

Nah, I don't agree with that entirely.
I have crossed many deep crossings where the 4wd has dropped into a hole and have had water over the windscreen.
If the windows are electric, yeah, down stream passenger or driver window open.
If they have winders, leave the windows up. IMHO.
Best tip is, "If it's flooded, forget it".

I guess I should have added that because I didn’t live in croc country, I always walked the water first. I kinda think if the water‘s up near the windscreen, I’ve already screwed up…
I also had kids and in the event the car went arse-up or began to float, I wanted them out asap (both kids swam like fish).

 

[Capertee gold]

Know this river all to well ,must have crossed it 200 times or more from capertee to sofala ,if it's flowing fast and over a meter you better have a good truck with a lift kit ,At a meter plus this river has some high volume and some force when flowing ,it also has plenty of deep holes if you stray of the crossings ,I've even found whole cars completely buried along the river a foot down ,thinking ive found the mother load untill you uncover a roof , I reckon if you can't walk across it with ease ,don't attempt to cross it in you vehicle, the picture is the first crossing as you enter capertee national park from the all weather track ,I'd hate to see what the dry weather track only looks like because it's real steep,,