Category Archives: Nissan Patrol

The trailer mess

Australia, AWC, Nissan Patrol, NSW, SA

The Doc was told a couple weeks ago the camper trailer would not be delivered. Despite paying the deposit 12 months ago, the first trailer was then stolen and now the replacement will not be delivered. The Doc has been been urgently modifying the car and organising a replacement trailer.

The Patrol now has a fridge installed and a couple of other modifications.

The new trailer has been ordered and will be picked up next month, with any luck. The Excellent Venture is back on course.

The Doc is back on the road today. Out to AWC’s Scotia Sanctuary then into South Australia, mostly the Flinders Ranges and Wilapena Pound, perhaps Eyre Peninsula.

Vehicle performance across the Simson Desert

Australia, desert, Nissan Patrol, SA, Simpson Desert, Uncategorised

There was a variety of vehicles crossing the Simpson Desert with The Doc including a Toyota Landcruiser 100 series, Landcruiser 200 series (a brand-new diesel V8), Land Rover Defender, 2 Toyota Prados, Mitsubishi Challenger, Nissan Navarra, Toyota  Hilux and The Doc’s Nissan Patrol.

Early on in the trip one of the Prado owners was telling someone how his Prado was better than The Doc’s Patrol. The Doc enjoyed recovering that Prado two days later when it got bogged. In fact, both recoveries were by Nissans on Toyota Prados. Prados may have the LandCruiser name, but they certainly not LandCruisers. The Doc is glad he never bought a Prado. They may handle better on road than a Patrol, but they’re certainly not better off road. They are a long way behind the LandCrusier, Defender and Patrol.

In the steeper dunes and rougher parts of the desert, the leafspring suspension of the Nission Navarra and the Toyota Hilux meant they were struggling.

The Doc thought the performance of the LandCruisers (not Prados), the Land Rover and the Patrol were very good.   Although the LandCrusier 100 V8 Petrol used a lot of fuel. The 200 series V8 Diesel used just a little more than the Patrol – impressive. But they cost a great deal more money than a Patrol, so they should impress.

The Challenger was well driven and did a reasonable job, but it is a bit small for The Doc’s needs.

The Mighty Simpson Desert has been crossed

Australia, desert, Nissan Patrol, Qld, SA, Simpson Desert

51 years ago a G60 Patrol completed the first motorised crossing of the Mighty Simpson Desert. Today The Doc completed his crossing in the GU Patrol, as part of a larger group. We at least had a track, the original party did not. That is an achievement.

The Simpson is Patrol country.

A map of the trip do far, from Broken Hill, NSW to Birdsville, Qld. The “diversions” around Lake Eyre was the plane flight. Some cracker images from that flight.

SimpsonTrip

Patrol vandalised overnight

Australia, Nissan Patrol

Some grubs vandalised the Patrol overnight, the day before The Doc goes on the Simpson Desert trip. Some tie down straps were slashed and some butane gas stolen. It could have been worse. Hope to fix the issues today.

All fixed now.

The 1st Aussie road trip ends

Australia, Nissan Patrol, NSW

The first Australian road trip is over. The Doc is in Wagga Wagga now and will head back to Sydney later in the week.

The Patrol has performed well, a few minor issues with third party products. The Doc will return via Canberra to have one of them fixed.

Upon his return, The Doc must will sort the photos and finish writing the Reports.  Stay tuned.

Australian Wildlife Conservancy update

Australia, AWC, Kangaroo Island, Nissan Patrol, SA, Uncategorised, Wildlife, Yookamurra

As readers know The Doc’s Nissan Patrol has Australian Wildlife Conservancy stickers on its doors. This trip started with pitfall trapping at AWC Yookamurra Sanctuary near Sedan in South Australia. Where it was 42 degrees one day and the next had half their yearly rainfall. Not the best combination for successful trapping. But that maybe a topic for a separate post. This is about comments made about AWC.

While staying at the Wintersun Motel in Victory Harbour before the ferry ride across to Kangaroo Island, The Doc heard a knock at his door. The person introduced themselves as Graeme Chapman, a noted bird photographer and ornithologist. Graeme and his wife were on there way to Kangaroo Island also, or KI as the local call it. Or Sealink Island as the Victor Harbour people call it.

Graeme allows AWC to use some of his images royalty free and wondered about the fancy fitted out 4WD being used by AWC now. The Doc explained he was a supporter, not a staff member. We laughed. We both chatted about birds, the Galapagos and Kangaroo Islands and photography for the next 2.5 hours. The Doc enjoyed our talk.

Next stop Kangaroo Island and at Vivonne Bay a stranger approached and asked about AWC. The Doc was happy to discuss, it turns out Steve was one of the parents with a school group from the Adelaide Hills visiting KI. The Doc explained about the educational facilities at Yookamurra. The next day, Julian the organiser of the school tour had a talk, as well. Perhaps the school may visit. Julian remembered Yookamurra from the Earth Sanctuary days, the previous owners.

Next day while at the remote Hanson Bay a gentleman came up and asked about AWC. He had been at Raptor Domain together the previous day. Perhaps he will support AWC. He like the background The Doc gave.

Today at Parndana a lady came up and asked whether AWC has a sanctuary on KI. No they do not, The Doc was just a supporter visiting KI, he was not looking at potential sanctuaries either. She seemed relieved as she was a regular reader of the AWC Newsletter and had not heard about KI being on the list of sanctuaries.

It seems people read the stickers.

Postscript
The Doc forgot to mention that while driving through major roadworks his UHF radio was set to scan. It picked up a conversation between the road crew that they were being filmed by Australian Geographic, not quite but as the Patrol was the only car at the time they meant AWC.

Galapagos here I come

Galapagos, Nissan Patrol

The Doc is busy this week making last minute preparation for his flight to Galapagos on 16 Nov.

The Patrol had its 12 month service on Monday, plus a new accelerator assembly as a result of a recall. The Doc also managed to lose the tray under the draws installed in the rear of the Patrol. When trying to retrieve the tray The Doc managed to dislodge the draws from the runners – he did not get the tray either. Offroad Road Systems fixed that today in about 10 minutes. It is nice to have such great after sales service, thank you.

The Doc am now working through the To Do list, but first he is off for a swim.

The Doc is unlikely to post for a few weeks now, as he does not expect to have internet access on Galapagos or Easter Islands. But when he returns expect some great photos.

Moving AWC Billboard

As part of the Excellent Adventure The Doc will be promoting the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. The artwork has been completed for the Patrol. When completed the Patrol will look like this.

Nissan Patrol Artwork

The Patrol is still dirty from the recent driver training course.

Off road driver training

Nissan Patrol, Uncategorised

More preparation for The Doc’s Excellent Adventure, this time I just completed my off road driver training with my new Car Club, TLCC. Driver Training must be done before you can become a full member of TLCC. The training is first rate, superior to private training courses. It is a fully accredited training course run by TLCC volunteers who generously gave up their weekend.

There were 3 modules in the course, including 2.5 hours of lectures and then we had to read a Training Manual before practical training on the following weekend. On Saturday we drove various courses from 8am until 6.30pm. It was “full on” the whole day. The training was designed to take people out of their comfort zone. We started in the deep end and it just got deeper over the day.

Great to see the ladies give their all (most of my class were ladies, the gents were in the second class). One student was over 70 and passed with flying colours. The second class was doing recovery on the Saturday and we reversed places on the Sunday. So Sunday I was trained on recovery equipment and techniques.

A few dented panels and a broken diff were the only casualties on the weekend. I did say it was full on. Often trees and rocks were several centimeters from both sides of the cars. Thankfully nothing happened to the Patrol, but once or twice it was only a centimeter or two in it. In my case the awnings just missed some trees during sharp constricted turns.

I think I will get more off-road driving in before I think about the Advanced Course. Most people would think the first course was advanced enough!