The latest car that fell victim to Traeth y Greigddu was a brand new Mercedes-Benz coupe hire car that was left partly submerged as its owners waited for a low tide to see if anything could be salvaged
The so-called “silly season” has made an early appearance at the iconic drive-on beach of Traeth y Greigddu (Black Rocks Sands) in Gwynedd, with several vehicles already succumbing to the sea this year despite repeated warnings.
A new 25-plate Mercedes-Benz coupe hire car became the latest victim, spending two days partially submerged as its owners awaited until low tide to assess salvage possibilities. Only a fortnight earlier, an Audi met a similar fate at the opposite end of the beach near Porthmadog.
This prompted humorous online comments such as: “That car has been stuck Audi long.”
Social media reactions to images of the engulfed cars vary from sympathy for the unfortunate owners to amusement at their plight, and sometimes just resignation due to the frequency of such incidents. “I’ve lost count of how many cars have done this on Blackrock,” lamented one local resident.
Sympathy was scarce for the Mercedes driver, with one observer remarking, “What an absolute plonker,” Echoing this sentiment, another commented, “It’s the cars I feel sorry for”, reports North Wales Live
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While someone else quipped, “Oops. Try and explain that to the insurance company because it won’t cover stupidity.”
The bewilderment over drivers’ failure to notice the encroaching tide until it’s too late is common, though some online voices offer a touch of empathy. “Omg I’d be devastated,” sympathised one woman, adding, “Easy to make a mistake, I feel sorry for them.” For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
It has been reported that there were five vehicles stranded during April. The Criccieth Coastguard Rescue Team has responded to two incidents, including the latest episode with a Mercedes coupe that was stuck on the beach from Monday evening through to Wednesday evening (April 28-30).
A spokesperson for the team said: “For the second time this year already, the team were tasked to a vehicle that had been caught out by the tide last night at 19:50 (Tuesday). By the time they got to it, it was completely submerged!”.
“As nice as it is to be able to drive on to a beach – please be fully aware of the tidal conditions! ! ! We are not equipped to tow vehicles.”
Traeth y Greigddu has been gaining in popularity despite fees of £8 for cars and £16 for motorhomes.
The three-mile-long beach lures drivers with its shallow shelf, making it an ideal spot for swimmers but a hazard for vehicles, which can easily be tempted too far out by the low tide, only to be caught off-guard when the sea rapidly returns.
Throughout the years, a variety of vehicles, including cars, vans, 4x4s, and motorhomes, have fallen victim to overconfidence. Some ended up completely submerged, others trapped in sand, and a handful narrowly escaped being swept out to sea.
Cyngor Gwynedd council has taken preventative measures by installing numerous warning signs on the beach and posting regular updates on their social media platforms.
