CARS MAROONED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22967, 19 February 1938, Page 14

CARS MAROONED

HOTOBISTS' PLIGHT TROUBLES AT PIHA HAULED THROUGH SAND BLOCK AND TACKLE USED Motor-campers who were marooned at Piha as a result of a bridge at the foot of the hill being carried away following the downpour on Thursday morning, were assisted yesterday by a party of officers of the Automobile Association (Auckland), and all who wished to leave had their cars extricated. It was found necessary to take the cars across a swollen creek, along the boach to the south end, and over a wide section of loose sand, before a firm road was reached. Unable to use the normal road because of the collapse of tho . bridge, the campers found it impossible to drive to the southern end of the beach on account of the creek, which is normally only a few inches deep, having scoured a course in the sand about five feet deep and 50 yards wide. Three of the five parties in the camp decided to leave when association officers, with a twin rear-wheeled truck, reached the camp yesterday afternoon. Suitable approaches to the creek were cut, and the cars hauled through. Two of them continued to the southern end of the beach without difficulty, but the third required attention before it would move. At the southern end, it was found impossible to tow the cars through the soft sand, but a blpck and tackle solved the problem, and the three cars were eventually placed on a formed road.