Bornholm Beach has a fearsome reputation.

Along with nearby Dingo Beach it is recognised by many as being very difficult to get off – though this is not a universal opinion. Whatever, perceptions become reality and the reality is that it IS more difficult to exit than your average beach.

The track was established using older, small engined, naturally aspirated 4WDs with no lift, skinny tyres and open diffs.  Modern 4WDs win out in every category. So why is it so difficult to get up the hill? More power combined with less-than-ideal tyre pressure creates offset moguls. Combine that with an ever-increasing number of vehicles, many of whose drivers have little to no regard for the track and who will come after them, and a challenging situation is created.

If you’re on the beach and want to get back to Lower Denmark Road without paying the local farmer a (very reasonable) $2000 vehicle extraction fee, tyre pressures (think 10psi and below) and driving technique are vital.

Our six vehicle convoy hit the beach at 12.34 p.m. the Wednesday after easter. After thoroughly checking out the extent of the beach and having a bite to eat it was time tackle the steep exit track.

It had been cut up pretty badly only a few days previously (easter). With no rain for a prolonged period the sand was soft and loose, and on the descent to the beach it was clear that the offset moguls would present a challenge during the ascent.

The first three vehicles ascended without issue and waited for the next three. The fourth vehicle, Rod’s 3.0L twin cab Hilux couldn’t negotiate an early section of the ascent and stalled numerous times only metres before the track made a sharp right turn. Thus didn’t bode well because the right turn would wash off a lot of momentum and if the Hilux was not able to even get to the right turn it would certainly struggle to get past the turn.

Rod backed his vehicle down the approach track with the intention of turning onto the beach so he could have another crack. We determined that the sharp, steep turn to the beach was potentially hazardous and so we provided some outrider counterweight.

Once back on the beach Rod lined up on the Approach Track again.

The section before the right hand turn was badly cut up and the vehicle stalled and bogged. Repeated attempts produced the same result.

The Hilux needed a little bit of assistance so Zeljko decided to tow it with his FJ Cruiser. That resulted in both vehicles being bogged.

We had to get the FJ Cruiser to the flat area off the track that is used as a runup for the next steep section. This flat area (Staging Point 1) is past the point where the Hilux was reaching. We decided to winch.

The was no readily available anchor point. In such a situation you have to make one. There were some disused ‘koppers logs’ right where we needed to make our anchor point. Thanks CALM/DBCA/DPaW/Whatever.

The first test for the newly-made anchor point was when the FJ Cruiser was winched up the hill.

After Zeljko’s FJ Cruiser reached Staging Point 1 we called Scott to bring his powerful Nissan Patrol back down so we could do a ‘re-direct’ winch for the hapless Hilux.

Scott’s Patrol was positioned a short distance up the track and the re-direct pulley attached. The FJ Cruiser was positioned on the level ground of the Staging Point 1 and the winching commenced.

The ‘dead man’s anchor’ was pulled out of the ground. Hmm. Go to Plan B.

It was decided to use Scott’s Patrol to snatch the Hilux up the hill. The FJ Cruiser was repositioned to Staging Point 2, higher up the track.

Daylight was fading.

The weakness of the snatch plan was the 80 degree snatch angle. Clearly the Hilux would tend to ‘cut the corner’. And that is what happened.

Scott positioned his Patrol as far over on the track as he could to lessen the angle but it had little effect. The Hilux was being dragged sideways with each snatch. On five occasions the right front tyre was yanked off the bead and each time Zeljko got out his tarp and tools and re-seated the tyre.

Over a five hour period we had made very little progress in getting the Hilux ‘round the corner’. We discussed camping on the beach and pursuing our objective in the morning. The consensus was to continue with our efforts.

Zeljko decided he had enough practice re-seating tyres so Plan C was put into effect. It was now dark.

As the sun dropped over the horizon so the temperature dropped. Tassy and Baifern sat in the FJ Cruiser – warm and out of what was a potentially hazardous environment.

To deal with the adverse crossfall angle, recovery boards were placed transversely under the Hilux. By this time we had ten in use.

It was slow work but progress was being being made. Only 500mm at first, then two metres, then five metres. Finally the Hilux powered up to Staging Point 2.

Next task was to get Kim’s Patrol from the beach (about 500 metres away) and up to Staging Point 2. The Patrol bogged in the same location as the Hilux – by this time the track was badly chewed up even after lots of spade work to level it.

We employed the same tactics with the recovery boards and with bounds of 5-10 metres soon had the Patrol at Staging Point 2.

All vehicles were successfully off the beach, however, there were more challenges ahead. The Hilux had issues for 30 minutes or so cresting a hill towards the end of the track.

Eventually we arrived at the Air Down Point, reinflated tyres and headed into Albany. Zeljko went to get pizza for everyone.

We arrived at the King River Caravan Park at 12.44 a.m. Maccas instead of pizza. It had been a big day.

 

© Kim Epton 2024
1198 words, 18 photographs.

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