NEW WORLD RECORD!
6/11/06 travelling Dover (UK) - Calais (France), two 'Dutton' UK made amphibious cars piloted by Doug Hilton with first mate Adam solomon in one car and the other by Tim Dutton creator and manufacturer of the cars, crossed the English channel starting just after 10.00 and finally pulling out of the water well after darkness onto the beach at Calais after an eventful (and wet) 7 hours and 9 minutes fighting against waves, changing winds and being set miles to the west by the 7 metre plus tidal rips. Total distance covered 49 Km (30.4 miles). Average speed 6.7Km/hr (4.2 mph)....
...Standing in the early morning darkness, my hand ran along her frozen hull – would we do it? 70 miles later at Dover, still waiting for our channel pilot to arrive, two very good friends Rene and Katty from Belgium unexpectedly appear. These two between them have had more hair raising adventures (‘Amphibidiver’ at www.landairandsea.com ) than I have had hot dinners and yet they have travelled for over six hours and across three countries just to see us...
...In almost pitch darkness we finally crept around the end of the massive timber breakwater and into Calais harbour. Just visible were two people at the end of the breakwater, jumping up and down cheering - Rene and Katty still waiting for us despite the well overdue schedule and bitter cold. What can you say for friends like that?..
We had been advised to come out on the old hovercraft ramp just inside the breakwater and the pilot directed us to it. Lining both cars up for a multiple landing we went full speed for the ramp. It was just visible in the darkness with an even blacker line across it at water level – seaweed? Even over the noise of the engines we heard shouting and could just make out Rene and Katty running hard along the top of the breakwater, throwing their arms about. We halted 20 metres (yards) from the shore. No one shouts like an experienced adventurer and here we had two. They must have been heard all over Calais!...
...Before setting off running again for the land end of the breakwater, Rene and Katty shouted to us to go back out of the harbour and they would see us on the beach. Back out of the harbour (was this trip never going to end?) and again rounding the breakwater, the beach just appeared black to us with a shining bit at the bottom. We headed cautiously in, the cars simply greasing themselves onto the beach as if it had been absolutely nothing. We had arrived. 7 hours and nine minutes.
Two figures then appeared this time running down the beach, gasping “keep tight to the left and don’t stop whatever you do”. Twice the cars almost bogged down in the very soft sand but pulled clear again before running on like thoroughbreds - and so at last onto a firm concrete surface.
Peace descended as the engines were switched off in the biting cold of a freezing night. Through the darkness we could just make out two figures, still running but this time back up the beach before arriving breathless. A heartfelt thank you Rene and Katty. Long may you keep fit!
A really nice French crowd arrived. Katty took a photo and then gave us the bad news. They are all mad over there and drive on the wrong side of the road, plus It was miles to the ferry terminal because the bridge was up! Tired, after dark and with no map was not the best time to consider this. Tim had driven on the continent many times before and was supposed to be our magic bullet for an occasion like this but he was in worse condition than us, having been kept in solitary confinement during the crossing and spent longer on the road than us.
No problem, Rene and Katty would lead the way....
Meer foto's op: http://bp.photoshelter.com/gallery/Amphibious-Cars-Channel-Crossing/G0000CUk1BhoUF80/
