People still travelling into remote areas unprepared
Submitted: Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 09:04
ThreadID:
111243
Views:
4316
Replies:
3
FollowUps:
8
This Thread has been Archived
Member - Stephen L (Clare SA)
Good morning EOers.
I was speaking to a Station hand yesterday at work that lives and works north of
Birdsville.
During our chat, I mentioned the death a couple of years ago of a Station hand from Ethabuka Station after being bogged in soft sand and then walking off to his death, with his mate found in an almost state of death. He was saying the the other man did survive, but suffered brain damage after having his brain fried from the intense heat and no hat. Chris was telling me that station people in the area still talk about this tragic event that should have never happened.
25 year old man dies
Then on this very same day we hear of a couple that were found in the
Finke Gorge National Park that were stranded for 5 days due to a flat battery.
Couple found after 5 days
You would think that with all the low cost safety items available today, that these type of life threatening events should never happen.
When will people start to take travelling into remote areas seriously?
Cheers and safe travels
Stephen
Reply By: Crusier 91 - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 09:34
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 09:34
When preparing to travel remote nothing is low cost.
I myself have my truck checked over by a professional and replace anything that needs be. Having said that, it still does not guarantee me that I may not run into some sort of engine trouble (I'm no mechanic), so far I have never had a problem.
By the time you add up all the little things for many the cost is substantial, its taken me a few years to own the hoard of off road gear and camping gear.
I still wonder how they did it in the 50's and 60'.
AnswerID:
546599
Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 09:57
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 09:57
"I still wonder how they did it in the 50's and 60'."
Over
Easter 1970, Margaret and I and a friend (3 of us), drove a Mini to
Coward Springs on the
Oodnadatta Track and then followed the southern side of the Margaret River west to Billa Kalina station. For about a quarter of that distance there was no track.
Before leaving
Marree, we spent an hour with the local policeman and his wife convincing them to let us go.
Eventually they did, because the wife wanted to come out and rescue us because she had not been out there before.
The arrangement was we would call into
Kingoonya and leave a message that we had got through. If
Marree had not heard from us after 4 days, they would come looking.
We made it OK, but I now wonder how....
Never leave
home without a PLB now.......................
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome
FollowupID:
834353
Follow Up By: The Landy - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 10:09
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 10:09
That is a great adventure Peter...
Cheers, Baz
FollowupID:
834354
Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:12
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:12
Cruiser,
I gather what Stephen is referring to is items such as a PLB.
For around the $500 mark, this sort of item is absolutely essential for remote travel, especially when alone.
I hope I'll never have to use my GME MT410G, but I know I've got it as a last resort emergency broadcast
beacon with a built-in GPS for accurate location.
The cost was a no brainer for me. In fact it is my second one after the older analogue technology was replaced with the digital type.
FollowupID:
834384
Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:14
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:14
Wow,
Just checked the current price and they are available now for $299.
FollowupID:
834385
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 21:34
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 21:34
Hi Bill
You have just hit the nail on the head. I was referring to a couple of very cheap items to carry that are very small and will not take up much space.
Firstly, in the even that it is life threatening, then an under $300 PLB should be an absolute must for anyone that values their life when travelling in any remote area.
Secondly like many outback travellers, there are many times that we travel solo. Sure I have a second deep cycle battery fitted, but still always carry on of these little fellows... the super mini booster that will save my bacon if I have 2 batteries fail at the same time. (which I did by from Adele in the EO
Shop)
One of these would have helped the Alice Springs couple
Like all safety items that we carry, we hope that we never have to use them, but gives you peace of mind that they are the in case of an emergency.
Yes I have the usual
HF Radio, UHF if someone is close enough to hear you and a Satellite phone, but the above 2 items are simple and cheap to buy.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
834407
Reply By: The Landy - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 10:26
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 10:26
Hi Stephen
A timely point.
Remote outback travel can be very rewarding and exciting and not something to be feared. But in saying that planning is key to a successful outcome.
My pre-trip mantra is – have a plan, have a plan, have a plan. I wrote about it in a blog
Trip Planing - Everything has risk associated with it!t!
Planning for any trip and how you will deal with contingencies starts in the living room at
home. It is far too late once “Out and About”.
In fact, it is one of the enjoyable things we do as part of any trip we undertake.
This particular incident highlights that something like a flat battery can develop into something more serious very quickly. Any number of communication
tools may have helped or PLB would have resolved this situation quickly and with little angst.
Importantly, did they have a plan?
Cheers, Baz
AnswerID:
546602
Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 10:31
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 10:31
They obviously didn't have a crank handle, Baz! TIC :-)
Bob
FollowupID:
834358
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 21:40
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 21:40
Hi Baz
Thorough planning is critical and from what we read from the ABC News story, is that no, they did not have a plan.
If they were scheduled to return
home on Saturday, then why did it take another 3 days before the alarm was raised with Police in
Alice Springs on Tuesday?
I know that if I had been planned to be
home on that Saturday, come Saturday night my family would be contacting Police.
Yes they were prepare and were safe, but no one knew exactly where they were.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
834409
Reply By: Moto - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:31
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:31
You should always let someone know where you are going and an estimated time you expect to return.
Years ago before CB was available, we lived at Orbost. I had the mail key to my company's
Post Office Box. We would place an envelope in the box showing where we were going, time left and an anticipated return time. Our neighborours where unreliable, so never told them of our movements.
We would drive for hours through the bush with our three year old daughter, sometimes staying overnight, other times just day trips.
When we came back into town I would always remove the envelope from the
Post Office Box.
Now days there is no excuse with modern communications available.
.
AnswerID:
546615
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 21:43
Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 21:43
Hi Moto
Very
well said and as you say, "Now days there is no excuse with modern communications available"
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
834410