Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
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This sequence shows how high some of the dunes are at Erg Chebbi. The 1st photo is of a normal view of the dunes, you might just make out some tiny dots right at the top.
Click image to enlarge
In the following pics, you will see that the dots were in fact Carl and Andrew S and Alex E who managed to get there Defenders right to the top.
Click image to enlarge
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Not brilliant pics, but they were taken with my cheapo instant camera, pressed onto the lens of my binoculars
18th Aug 2010 7:53 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
This was taken in the mid afternoon
Click image to enlarge
I'm sure it was not actually that high, but it was a particularly hot day and that temp was recorded with the vehicle moving through the dunes near to the Algerian border.
18th Aug 2010 8:01 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
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i will answer that no Home of RLD Hidden winch mounts Spare wheel Locks Trailer Body Fabrication ray@rld-tech.co.uk D3/4 sump plates MY 14 sump plates and the Discovery Sport wheel protectors Discovery 5 wheel locks
more Helsport tents and other things for camping Law of Mechanical Repair:
"After your hands are coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee!"
18th Aug 2010 8:27 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
Just very dusty. Light were definitly needed to keep tabs on where other vehicles were.
18th Aug 2010 8:58 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
Great photos chaps - looks like a cracking trip - I'm well looking forward to the 'other' trip to North Africa in October Steve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
Do you mean Tunisia well i am sure you will have fun Home of RLD Hidden winch mounts Spare wheel Locks Trailer Body Fabrication ray@rld-tech.co.uk D3/4 sump plates MY 14 sump plates and the Discovery Sport wheel protectors Discovery 5 wheel locks
more Helsport tents and other things for camping Law of Mechanical Repair:
"After your hands are coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee!"
19th Aug 2010 7:19 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
I'm sure you will have a great time Steve, it is a fantastic place. Savour every moment, even the bad ones.
19th Aug 2010 8:46 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72787
Only bad moment last year was when NJF ran out of beer!!!
19th Aug 2010 9:41 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
The bad moment for us was getting caught in a full force sand storm. I have always known that a sandstorm is not something to be taken lightly, but I now know you should avoid them if you can, especially if you are camping. The story goes like this:
DG and myself were savouring the night time sky, and wall of silence, sitting on our camp chairs at the top of a sand dune near to our camp. Others were retired to bed, some in sturdy roof tents, others in less sturdy ground tents. The time was midnight.
There was a very distant light, which we knew to be the army checkpoint at the edge of the piste, which we had passed through some hours before (Andrew S can tell tbat story ) All of a sudden, the light went out. "Light out a midnight obviously" said DG. I agreed. A slight breeze came across us, and briefly cooled us from the heat, which was still in the high 30's.
Within a minute, the sand storm hit us like a train. The wind instantly whipped up the sand, we could not see a thing. It was all we could do to grab our chairs and fall down the dune. DG even lost his sandals in the process. There was chaos in the camp with people screaming for help as the ground tents rapidly filled with sand, and guy ropes and pegs were torn out. The sand was completely blinding, and all I could do was climb into the tent and shut my eyes. It soon became apparent that this was not the best place to be, as the tent rapidly filled with sand, and Tom in the tent next door was obviously suffering worse as the door zip was ripped out of his tent.
At this point I decided that the best and safest place to be would be in the car. I had packed two pairs of sand goggles, and ran to the car to put them on. I also then realised that Andrew, Ray and others were also struggling to retrieve or stow equipment that was rapidly getting destroyed. I got Wendy and Tom into the car, tied the tents to the car, and we sat there for about 3 hours until the storm blew out.
The morning was spent retrieving kit from all over the place. I'm not sure if DG ever did find his sandals.
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) All of a sudden, the light went out. "Light out a midnight obviously" said DG. I agreed. A slight breeze came across us, and briefly cooled us from the heat, which was still in the high 30's.
