Caravanning couple's warning over 'notorious' problem at popular camping spot
Bryce Connole and Chelsea Wood had to dig our their 4WD and caravan from the sand at the campsite.
Despite caravanning around Australia full-time for the last five years, couple Bryce Connole and Chelsea Wood still found themselves "bogged" in the sand at a popular campsite and have since warned other campers to try to avoid the same fate — or at the very least, how to get out of a similar situation.
Last month, the couple and their dog Juice were travelling down from Exmouth on the Ningaloo Coast to Winderabandi Campground in Western Australia. As soon as they got there, the camp host warned them to be careful as their "site has very soft sand".
"We got out of the car and assessed the site knowing it would take some planning and manoeuvring with the caravan in tow in the soft sand," the pair told Yahoo News. "Our best plan was to just send it quickly and hope for the best... we still managed to bog down fairly deep."
Campers had to dig 'stuck' 4WD and caravan out of sand
Despite being warned and having experience with tricky campground terrain, the couple still got "stuck" in the soft sand and had no choice but to dig themselves out. "We had already lowered our tyre pressures on both the car and caravan so we thought we would be fine," they said.
The pair used a shovel and MAXTRAX recovery tracks, which helped provide traction to wheels and were ultimately able to extricate their vehicle after about 15 minutes.
And they were far from the only ones to struggle. Over the two weeks they spent at the campsite, Bryce helped five people to dig themselves out of the same predicament.
"Some sites are notoriously worse than others, like the one we were on... it is very common for people to get bogged at this popular beach camp on the Ningaloo Reef," they said.
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Hacks to avoid getting stuck in soft sand
Generally speaking, heavy caravans (or any vehicle) and soft sand don't mix well and should be avoided. However, in cases like this, there are a few simple hacks to help campers along their way.
Lowering tyre pressures and carrying recovery boards and equipment are a necessity, Bryce and Chelsea said.
"Walk your site first and make a game plan, don't be afraid to ask for help from other campers if you need it," the couple said.
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