MOSSEL BAY NEWS - It appears the origin of the rusted chassis of a 4X4 vehicle between Nautilus Bay Beach and Second Beach, Dana Bay, has been discovered.
Mossel Bay resident Dawie Steenkamp had posted the photos of the greatly disintegrated frame on the Facebook group, Dana Bay News, asking members of the group if they knew the history of the vehicle.
He also shared the photos with Mossel Bay Advertiser, which posted them on its Facebook page. Steenkamp discovered the remains of the chassis on Tuesday, 1 October It was only when he went for a walk along Second Beach on Sunday, 6 October, that he found out where the chassis may have come from.
On the beach, Steenkamp met Pieter Boshoff (76), who has lived in Mossel Bay all his life. Boshoff said he would often go for walks to Dana Bay with his brother when he was a child and he was about nine or 10 when he first saw a Land Rover on the beach.
He said the vehicle was left on the beach by people collecting oysters. It broke down and they left it there because they had to find someone to help them. When they came back, the Land Rover had been washed into the ocean.
Photo: Dawie Steemkamp
"In those years, there was no such thing as a mobile phone. People had to walk to get help and when they came back, the water was high and the Land Rover was gone. The water took it," said Boshoff.
He said the tide carried it for about one and a half kilometres in the direction of Boggomsbaai. It washed up and then became buried in the sand. It was the first time the rusty remains were seen not buried under sand, and were exposed, in five years, said Boshoff.
He urged people not to take things home that they find on the beach. He said whatever washed up on the beach from the ocean should be left alone.
Photo: Dawie Steenkamp
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