Boating In My Car!

Out on a Bliptrip I went down this back road that gives great views of the mountains. I stopped at the ford and climbed a bank for some lovely shots, and I took this one of the road ahead.

Sometimes there is a big flouro orange sign warning that the ford is closed, but there was no such sign today and I drove on in confidence. I expected a sedate ride, with perhaps a little ruffle in the current, which flows from right to left.

We started off smoothly on the concrete roadway, but then the car took a dive! Suddenly the water was up to the bonnet. Reversing out was not an option because that would mean stopping, and I doubted I could start again. So I gave her the gun and aimed for the little island. It was heavy going. Dirty green water swirled around me. Then in that smooth bit where two poles are reflected the tyres left the bottom and we were floating! Instinctively I turned the wheel the right way and the back of the car slurred toward the gravel at the right-hand side.

With my foot hard to the floor we made it to the island. I knew that was the shingle ridge between the ruts, and I tried to keep one pair of wheels on the ridge as I forged grimly on. Eventually we fetched up on the far side and drove onto dry road. The car shuddered alarmingly, but soldiered on.

I went straight home. At first there was more shuddering when I changed to a low gear, but otherwise the car went well. On inspection I found that the doors had not let in any water. The engine had mostly missed getting wet, but there were puddles below it. However, the right front tyre was looking soft, and a couple of hours later it was flat. I must have hit a submerged rock.


Edit: My son says I couldn't have floated. It just felt like it when my tyres lost traction. Ah well, it must have been all that green water surrounding me that made me feel I was on a boat.