DUKW Page Two

'Amphib 96 -Continued
Tuesday it was off to Lake Ullswater via a high pass in the Cumbrian hills. A very narrow road and lots of Tourists, Caravans and Coaches made for an interesting drive with steep inclines and lots of gear and brake work. Lake Ullswater is a long lake with very few boats on it. During our trip we stopped at a lakeside cafe and at the far end made landfall adjacent to a slipway. This meant driving up the shore into the low bushes camoflaging the DUKW's positions. The drive back included a stop at the Inn at the highest point in the pass and the landlord suggested that we take a shortcut back to Ambleside, avoiding the long detour via Windermere. This we did only to find ourselves descending some very very narrow lanes at a very very sreep angle. We beat the other DUKW's back to the campsite who had left the inn an hour earlier.
Wednesday we left the lake district to move across country to another campsite just south of the city of York.
Thursday we drove to the noth of the city and after a short pause it was down a steep mud ramp into the River Ouse. A few people were very worried during this entry as it was very hairy. The bows of the DUKW's lifted in the water and this caused the rear wheels to lift as the stern touched the mud slope. The DUKW's then slid down the slope with a large splash!!!! The trip down the River was broken by a stop at a riverside pub for lunch and a pint of English beer. Entering the city the instructions were to turn right after the second bridge and drive up the sandbank. We were the first DUKW and we successfully negotiated the sandbank to put us up against the river wall to the amazement of the drinkers in the pub on the opposite bank !! We promptly joined them and enjoyed a sunny summers afternoon talking DUKWs and being visited by the local press reporters. Setting off, it was down river and then up a nice firm concrete slipway next to our campsite. That evening it was a short drive to get nearer York then down another slipway and upriver into York for an evening out after making landfall on the sandbank again. At the end of the night out we moved down river in ghostly convoy as the evening mists swirled around and moths and bats flew through the beams of our headlights.
Friday saw many of our new continental friends packing and loading their amphibians for the crossing by ferry of the English Channel on Saturday. Friday night everyone climbed aboard the 4 remaining DUKW's and upriver again to another slipway and into the car park of a well known Chinese restaurant which had been booked for our farewell dinner. Many people arrived at the restaurant hoping for a meal and were disappointed to find it was reserved for us. After a night of good food and dancing we all made our way down river and to bed in the campsite.
Saturday we left to motor home with lots of waves and goodbyes and promises to meet next year in Belgium. The drive south was mainly on the M1 motorway under a very hot sun. Dave let me take over the driving after a lunch stop and a steady 45 MPH saw us arrive home mid afternoon, very sunburnt and tired.

1997 saw us include trips on the River Thames both above and below the tidal limit and Belgium. Work planned on the DUKW may include replacing the Petrol engine which runs on 4 star or high octane fuel with a more economical Turbo Diesel.

For DUKW technical details and History go to DUCK_History.doc

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