How to Safely Cross a River While Exploring: Essential Tips!

Ahoy there, fellow adventurer! Are you ready to brave the great outdoors and tackle river crossings head-on? It can be nerve-wracking, but fear not! With a few handy tips, you'll be crossing those rivers like a pro.
Water crossings can be tricky business, and one wrong move can ruin your entire trip. That's why it's essential to take extreme care and measure the depth and condition of the bottom before crossing. Even concrete fords can't always be relied upon, so it's best to be cautious.
Now, here's a handy trick - polaroid sunnies can help you see through the water surface, so you can get a better idea of what you're dealing with. And when it comes to finding a depth gauge volunteer, make sure to choose someone with off-road driving experience who can judge the depth, current flow, and grip factor of the bottom.
But that's not all - you'll also want to keep an eye out for snags like sharp tree branches, deep holes, or large stones. So, make sure to wear the right shoes - sandals, sailing shoes, or sandshoes are your best bet, while thongs are a no-go.
And as for attire, short-shorts, swimmers, or clean undies are perfectly fine for covering the festive bits. But let's get back to crossing the river - the best method is to walk one way in the track you expect your left wheels to follow and walk back in the track you expect your right-side wheels to follow. Your leg makes a great depth gauge, and most of us measure around 50cm to the top of the knee, which is the upper fording limit for nearly all modern 4WDs.
00:00 - Start
00:40 - Walk the walk
02:23 - Know your vehicles capabilities
02:54 - A 4wd is not a boat
04:04 - Cool off rather than blow up
04:52 - Water-crossing preparation
06:38 - Removing the fan belt
07:30 - Breathing underwater
09:10 - Breather care
11:22 - Driving technique
13:00 - Post-crossing checks
13:58 - Water recovery
I have created comprehensive Patreon posts that provide additional information to aid in the planning of your next adventure. These posts include a range of useful information, including detailed information on the tracks, including downloadable GPX files.
- For more information: / 69220270
Additionally, you will find essential information on the necessary permissions, the history of the area, and interesting facts. All of these resources are designed to assist you in planning your next adventure with ease and confidence:
- / exploretracknz
Here is an example of what you could expect in these Patreon posts:
- Molesworth Route (public access): / 77841718
Subscribe to become an Explorer: / exploretracknz
Best Rooftop Tent for 4wd Overlanding: • 🔥 Pop-Top vs Clamshell...
Episode 5: Hidden Secrets of Skippers Road - • Exploring the Hidden T...
Episode 4: Epic story of Fanny Graham - • Discovering the Wild W...
Episode 3: MASSIVE 4WD WHEEL LIFTS - You've Got To See These! • Conquering the ultimat...
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[@francr4]

Wow that's an amazing amount of valuable information. Just getting into 4x4 driving and find this extremely helpful..

[@EXPLORETRACKNZ]

Glad it was helpful. If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot away. Hope to see you out there someday.

[@matthewlewington2470]

Crazy good video. Thanks heaps

[@ABL973]

It seems to me that it is an oversight by manufacturers to not include extended diff breathers in their 4WD by default. Great info and now I've got diff breathers on my shopping list. Thanks!

[@EXPLORETRACKNZ]

Thanks, yeah the breathers are important.

[@paulyshore98]

Lots of great info in this video. Thank you for taking the time to educate your viewers.

[@EXPLORETRACKNZ]

Happy you found it useful.

[@adriaangrobler5854]

Great video with plenty of valuable advice. Thank you for sharing your experiences and learnings.

[@EXPLORETRACKNZ]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it and you even made a cameo appearance!
😂

[@milindsawant9550]

Fantastic👍Thk You

[@EXPLORETRACKNZ]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@yowekemos2549]

How about the battery terminals? Should we do water tight sealing ?

[@lesmondk3376]

That looks like lake onslow to serpentine 1.16

[@EXPLORETRACKNZ]

Correct, that river crossing is on Lake Onslow road. A day after the massive weather event in December 2019.

[@nathaniel2603]

𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓶 🙃