The Burgh Island sea tractor nearly being washed away on a particularly stormy day, taken whilst we were staying at the hotel. The biggie hits at 1min 30
I might have been a passenger of yours, we used to go on holiday there due to my dad's connections (OMT rugby etc.) - absolutely fascinating, enchanting place! We loved the sea tractor.
I can remember travelling at high tide from England to Burgh Island on the old Sea Tractor - the one with caterpillar tracks as opposed to pneumatic tyres - in weather far worse than that!
Dean- as an ex sea tractor driver and having lived and surfed in that area my whole life i can categorically state that nobody knows how the sands will be churned up. on the causeway - where the big pot holes are or how the next big wave will impact the tractor. It is what it looks like - Extremely dangerous - i hope who ever is responsible doesn’t put lives in jeopardy like that again
Thank you so much for posting this. I am currently writing a novel with a sea tractor featured in it and this proves that my plot point is valid. My childhood consisted of trips to Bigbury from Plymouth for an evening's swim. No other cars there then, no carpark. Happy days.
When I was staying with my grandparents at Challaborough Caravan Park in 1967 we went over to Burgh Island on the old Sea Tractor - the one with caterpillar tracks, no roof and an old engine which cut out whenever it got wet - in worse weather conditions than this. I thought it was good fun but I can recall my dear grandmother being violently seasick.
the sea tractor is amazing; I've gone across to the island on it lots of times, but though I am very impressed with the skill of the driver, I wouldn't have travelled on it on that occasion. The hotel does call you if the weather is too bad for the tractor to run, as happened to me recently when I was due to go to the pilchard for curry night. Buy that tractor driver a drink - they earned it! and thank you to the poster of this vid for sharing
i have worked for these people for ni-on 7 years.and although in this instance it seems extreme to be runiing the tractor, they do know what they are doing.. i have been a carpenter on the island since 2003, and although we had to work around the tides saftey is always key. Mr & Mrs Orchard know how the beach is reacting to certiaan swells and always use specialist drivers.
I USED TO WORK IN THE SEAGULLS HOTEL IN BIGBURY ON SEA IN 1968.,I HAVE BEEN OVER TO BURGH ISLAND,BUT NEVER WOULD I RISK GOING OVER WHEN THE TIDE WAS IN..BIGBURY ON SEA,BEAUTIFUL PLACE,ALSO REMEMBER THE WAIKIKI BAR.NOT SURE IF SEAGULLS HOTEL OR THE BAR STILL EXISTS. .GREAT MEMORIES
Hi Simon,no I never went ten pin bowling.i USED TO VISIT CAFE AT THE TOP OF HILL NR CHALLABOROUGH CARAVAN SITE,AND TREATED OURSELVES TO HOMEMADE CAKES.YUMMIE,AFTER OUR HOTEL DUTIES WE WOULD VISIT THE WAIKIKI BAR FOR GLASS OF CIDER,HAPPY DAYS.
satsuma55 I used to think that the Tom Crocker Amusement Arcade was the height of sophistication! Until I got my fingernails crushed in the Ten~Pin Bowling Alley! Still got my score card for the Crazy Golf Course at Challaborough dated August 1967! Happy days indeed.
After all the warnings about high winds, spring tides and high swells, they're still dumb enough to run the sea tractor. :-/ Good capture! +1 for the capture.
The old Sea Tractor had caterpillar tracks. When I was seven I can remember going across to Burgh Island on it in worse weather than was shown in that video clip.
@@KempSimon that must have been really neat to visit. I only know of Burgh Island from Ben Howard’s EP album of that same name. Beautiful song/ album. Its interesting to see what inspired that
Used to live in Plymouth when i was a child and have fond memories of the sea tractor ❤ I think perhaps this ride was a bit late and must have stayed too long at the pub 😂😂😂 Brilliant recovery ❤❤❤
Must have been an emergency or utter lunacy to try and cross over in that weather.I bet they must have s....d their pants. Take note at 1.08 and at 1.20, it nearly went over.
Lifejackets??? That was terrifying to watch, was that journey really necessary?. Who was on board, thought I saw a little one but could be wrong. Glad it arrived safely though.
Who's driving? Richard Smith, Richard Giles, Danny Jordan? One of those guys methinks. All staff at least by the look. I've seen the head chef walk through that sea in a wet suit cos it was too rough for the tractor. He vanished from view once or twice.😂
Lordy! Thank goodness no one got washed overboard. That high swell would have drenched the poor passengers and their luggage would have been soaked! Not the most glamorous of arrivals.
That is `just up the road` from me here & I have used that Sea Tractor on more than one occasion..... but for sure, my great respect for the power of our unforgiving Sea would of not allowed me to put my life at risk there. The driver needs reprimanding at the very least.
In the late 1960's I went over on the old Sea Tractor - the one with caterpillar tracks - in worse conditions than that! But only after my grandmother had dragged the driver out of the bar of "Ye Olde Pilchard Inn" where he'd been having one (or two, or three) for the road!
The Driver knew exactly what he was doing. He kept the Sea Tractor on the highest point of the sand bar all the way across and, if you notice, is using the interference pattern in the waves to plough through at the point where their energy is minimised. Pint on me in "Ye Olde Pilchard Inn" Sir!
Yes, I do! We lived nearby and once it went for a service and DROVE through the village. Made a helluva noise. A neighbour called Jimbo Brenton was one of the earlier drivers.
@@philipwood7788 Yes I remember Jimbo, I seem to remember that Sea Tractor 3 had a board on the front with his name on it. What happened to Sea Tractor 2 ? I know it was replaced in 1969 , with the the present Tractor. I have been told it was saved & put into a museum. Any truth in this ? Would like to see a picture of both Sea Tractor 2 & 3 side by side. The delivery of Sea Tractor was covered by Blue Peter. Which I gather was driven from Newton Abbot to Burgh Island, what a sight that must have been on those narrow lanes, must be some pictures somewhere ? Just found pic of sea tractor 3 with Jimbo's RIP on the front www.flickr.com/photos/149822823@N04/50533714708/in/dateposted-public/ & a picture of Sea Tractor 2 ( the one on caterpillar tracks ) www.flickr.com/photos/50100442@N05/16303202444/in/faves-149822823@N04/
I go there for holiday once per year to see my cousins its a great beach you can see dolphins, crabs and basking sharks if you're lucky but sometimes you'll see a jellyfish in the water and they are freaky as hell.
There's nothing in the soft Devon sand that would be capable of puncturing one of those tyres, but if one did burst I believe that they do carry a spare and a rather large jack!
it might not get a punctured Tyre but if it broke down mid channel. It could have been dodgy...Not only were the waves large but the currents are strong
If a person ride's that crazy death tractor in bad weather they give you a wet suite & a life vest in case the ship goes down. Any one must be out of there mind to ride that crazy thing in bad weather.
I was down there on Tuesday and have been across on numerous other occasions. Although it looked like toppling over I don't think it would. Has it ever happened? btw i uploaded a video of Burgh Island yesterday if anyone fancies a look
Also sometimes the tide is so low that a sand path can be seen going towards the island and we walked to the island once but on the way back the tide started getting high but we still got back
To get over to the Pilchard Inn for a pint of Best Bitter and a Crab Sandwich? The nearest thing that I know of to heaven on earth is the bar of the Pilchard Inn on Burgh Island!
Although this makes good viewing,it is actually extremely dangerous and the Island owners know that it contravenes Health and Safety Regs.Is this how they care about their customers?These people could easily have been killed.Mr and Mrs Orchard you should be ashamed of yourselves,not that you seem to care about your important responsibility in operating this sea-tractor? I hope some sort of action is taken against them to insure the safety of any public who may ride this tractor in the future.
I cant believe they would be so fool hardy, surely they could have waited for low tide. I hope the driver is proud of his stupidity and where the hell were there life jackets for Christ sake!
Stupid. Several waves were strong enough to knock the tractor onto 2 wheels, so a big random wave would easily knocked the thing over. And not a lifejacket to be seen.
On the old Sea Tractor there were always lifebelts for First Class passengers and for those travelling Second Class there were leaflets under the seats entitled "Teach Yourself to Swim in Five Easy Lessons."
Pretty much a routine crossing. I can remember going over to Burgh Island in 1967 on the old Sea Tractor - the one with caterpillar tracks - in worse weather than that!
Lifejackets??? That was terrifying to watch, was that journey really necessary?. Who was on board, thought I saw a little one but could be wrong. Glad it arrived safely though.
