Scuttled - The wheels come off the safari

The green-lane safari at the weekend promised much; a quiet run through Lancashire's sunny spring outback to investigate a lane we've not used before. News was that it was either impassable due to a wash-out where a stream crosses it or it was passable with care. The plan was to walk it, with Frank on the look out for moorland birds such as Curlews, Lapwings and Skylarks in the fields.

Deciding to take the scenic short-cut rather than the faster but boring motorway our first lane was the Wyre ford.
On reaching the river we got out and had a recce. The water level was down about a foot (30cm) on normal. We had a look at the position of the sand banks from the footbridge above - all appeared fine...get back in the Land Rover select low box...bit of a splash...but coming out of the 'hole' to the shallows...ooohhhhh nnnooooooo - we didn't make it on to Kingfisher Island. Stuck! and a soon as you stop in water into the vehicle it comes...

A bad decision, 10 seconds of rash stupidity and disaster struck. Now the safari is facing the prospect of having to fit a new engine and a potential £1000+ repair bill. Fingers crossed it stalled before hydraulic lock occured.

Always but always test the depth by walking in and using a stick - or like us suffer the consequences. I know that! Its not as if you're going to be eaten by Crocodiles in the semi-wilds of Lancashire, just didn't fancy getting a little bit wet and went for it, after all the water was well down and we've never had any problems before. Or fit a snorkel...I can feel a stable door being closed behind that bolting horse.
Fortunately the safari was able to call on the aid of a very good friend...International Rescue!

Hope the interior dries out before it starts to smell/rot.

In the end what did we see...very little. A Curlew flew along the river overhead, as did a Grey Wagtail. That was about it!

By the way that water was very very cold, and I'm alot wetter than I would have been doing the stick depth test.

Where to next? Nowhere! via the scrap yard and the dog-house. What a numpty!

In the meantime let us know what (near) disasters have befallen you in your outback and please, please, please, cross your fingers, legs, toes, eyes, buttocks, etc for us that the engine is undamaged although the prognosis isn't good.

Frank was suitably unimpressed.

Bizarrely at work on Monday I discovered that my Disco cup had developed a crack right through the bonnet. I've had this cup for years...spooky or what ...hope its not an omen