Leroy replied:

Your thread subject is a little extreme don't you think? That was the only reason I opened the thread.

Leroy

Member - William H (WA) replied:

Hi all.
Sounds like you azoorc (has/had) a close call on the beach and between the dunes, i can tell you it's not a pleasant feeling when two 4wd's meet on top of a dune, at speed with no red flags, as it happened to me wile working up in the north west between sand fire and Windy corner, when i was working for an OIL company, back in 82/83 and both 4wd's didn't have flags, from that day on, there were red flags put on all the 4wd's and trucks, and no more accidents.

Cheers for now......William H...from...Bunbury...WA.

Patrolman Pat replied:

I'd have to agree with azoorc, too many cars without flags and we saw so many cars bogged on beaches that drove off once they were advised to lower their tyre pressures sufficiently.
Whilst flags may not be needed on the beach I'd defy anyone to drive from Robe to Beachport without having to make lots of diversions into the dunes at various points.
I reckon it's time for a 4Wd licence and without one you can't drive on beaches/tracks etc. Hate to say it but there are far too many richard cramiums out there

Member - AZOORC (SA) replied:

Hi all,
I used this heading so that the thread would be read and hopefully the message passed on by others when out enjoying this area.


Cheers
Paul.

draff replied:

Hi all,

Well your post was certainly well timed - we are due to head to Robe to do this trip in the next month or so.

We are experienced 4WDers and beach drivers and have all the neccessary equipment and always lower our tyres on sand and tracks.

Interestingly we always research our trips thoroghly in advance and not once have we heard that a flag would be required for this trip - all written reports of this trek that we have researched (and that would be 4 or 5) describe the beach run and the need to lower tyre pressures but none mention a flag. Also two people who have done it who we've talked to also never mentioned flags. (Just checked the trek notes on this site and unless I am missing it I can't see a mention of flags?).

So we certainly appreciate the 'heads up' and will throw our sand flags in and put them up for the trip. Its an easy thing to do for the sake of safety and had we got there and seen others with flags we certainly would have rigged something up.

But before we criticise too widely perhaps the need for flags just isn't emphasised in the information available on this trek - to the outsider researching this trip, the impression given by the information available is that it is a beach run with the emphasis on tyre pressures.

Maybe getting this added to the trek notes here would be a start?? (unless of course I am missing it in the notes!!!)

Just a thought .. . .. ..
'Draff

Outnabout David (SA) replied:

Once again I also made the annual trip to beachport and as always note that those belonging to clubs generally all have flags and that no doubt is because of the training we get at clubs.

Those without flags are usually infrequent visitors and inexperienced at sand driving and at the risk of opening a can of worms there always seems to be a large contingient of interstate vehicles who aren't allowed to beach drive in their state.

Likewise people are ignorant, lazy or don't have compressors and won't let thier tyres down and get very angry at the suggestion of doing it.

Anywhere from Carpenters rocks to Robe you are continually going from beach to inland dunes so you must for safety sake use a flag. A bit of rag tied to some electrical conduit will often suffice.

Some of the dunes down there put BIG Red to shame for both height and steepness so once again a flag at all times.

Came across a group on the main track into Robewhere only a few of the vehicles could make it up due to tyre pressure.

They decided to snatch them up the last few metres and were heard on the radio that they had nowhere to attach the strap so they had tied it to the front of the vehicle....I guess it is still firmly attached in a big knot..!!

As usually a lot of the approaches were cut up from to much power, too much tyre pressure and too little experience.

Having said all that the Beachport-Robe beaches were quite easy compared to any other time I have been there and the Beachport to Carpenters Rocks were very, very soft.

Member - Carl S (VIC) replied:

Having been to Robe and Beachport for many years now, I totally agree with you regarding sandflags, God knows how many close calls I have had as a trip leader and they have saved many accidents especially with the dreaded motorbikes, and I have never seen a sandflag on a motorbike!!