alternate solution

[outbacktrev]

When there's no f***ing water in it

[DLRA]

G'Day Guys,
just done a fairly major update to the site, included all new members up to 749 and as promised we now have a new section called reference which I've sort of hidden on the menu under website.

This is where I'll be posting all the facts as they are presented so that everyone can find and see them easily. I've already included Gary's geology post. Early days, but I think you will get the idea.

There has been some really good revelations in the last couple of days, well done guys.

http://www.dlra.org.au/reference.htm

Check it out and let me know what you think

[PLUCKA]

DLRA
Well it is exactly what I expected of you. That is brilliant and your self and Gary have given me some insight to this whole thing. Well done to both of you.


Plucka
#689

[DLRA]

We now have a contact at Lake Lefroy.


"The causeway that goes out about 4 km into the lake. The lake surface at this point is hard as hell and is currently the site of the local land yacht club.
I can get more information if required as I am employed in the local underground mines.
This is one big mother of a lake and I can see no reason why we couldn't hold speed trials on it.
The distance from here (Kambalda) to Mt Ive stn is 1630 km .
I know this because I was coming to your meet.
Brent Bickley"

If someone wants to contact me I can pass on all Brent's details.

[Reverend Hedgash]

Great work Gary and DLRA.

To contribute here is some info on Lake Lefroy to:

http://www.speedace.info/lake_lefroy_ka ... tralia.htm

rH+

[DLRA]

G'Day Rev,
Saw this page, if you click the photo of the lake (which I've linked to on the Salt Lakes page) you go to http://www.speedace.info/bluebird_electric_3.htm which is his "Bluebird" electric streamliner. Note he's based in the UK, so not necessarily a contact for the lake, but I'm sure he would be interested if there was a bunch of land speed cars turned up there.

[w3stie]

Great work Gary and DLRA.

To contribute here is some info on Lake Lefroy to:

http://www.speedace.info/lake_lefroy_ka ... tralia.htm

rH+

If the lake is suitable for land yachts, perhaps it's too windy for land speed racing. What's the wind like there?

[DLRA]

That's the funny thing if you go to the page about the 2006 Land Yacht Competition, there is one photo that shows this row of flags and they are all pointing straight down, not a breath of wind.
Nice to know old Mother Nature can f*%k things up for somebody else.

You've got to remember it gets pretty windy at the Gairdner sometimes, so it's probably nothing special.

[Greg Watters]

BOM's wind info looks to be similar there to lake G's as an average but the gusts are higher (maybe more whirl winds/dustdevils)

[David Leikvold]

I was talking with a mate of mine last night who is a meteorologist. He knows nothing about underground weather but told me that water levels are also related to atmospheric pressure. He said that for every one hectopascal drop in atmospheric pressure the water level in that area will rise by one centimetre. The normal pressure is about 1013Hpa so anything above or below that point gets water moving down or up respectively. So the water table under the lake would be at its highest at the full moon and with lower than average atmospheric pressure. That usually coincides with rain so the combination of the two is exactly what we don't want. Perhaps somebody who knows where to look might check the historical atmospheric pressure records to see if an atmospheric pressure / water table link was evident at previous Speedweeks.
He also made the fairly obvious point that salt is hygroscopic, i.e. attracts and absorbs water, so if the water table has risen to wet previously dry surface salt and then the atmospheric pressure goes back up and the moon wanes how long does it take for the salt to dry again? With the salt and the water being in solution as opposed to say, sand and water at the beach, there would be much slower rates of drying because evaporation would have to do most of the work.

[DLRA]

Some more photos from our man at lovely Lake Lefroy taken in the last couple of days.


This picture is looking from the camp site out onto the lake.As you can see it has just rained but I drove out 5 km out onto the causeway with no problems. I walked onto the lake and the salt was bloody hard.


Close up picture of the surface of the lake.



Ian Dalby #585 from WA is now doing some further investigation for the DLRA.

[David Leikvold]

So that green chair is the spectators' grandstand? Or maybe it's for the lifeguard!

[REAL Stan]

Hi Greg,the salt looks very thin would it scrap up ok (or not.)

[Stayt`ie]

just backing up what david has said, watch the level of the water in your dunny next time a decent low is around, you will notice that it will drop signiffently(***$#&@ spelling)
on the subject of lake lefroy, and all them salt lakes in western aus., i bet somewon has a "quiet test track" going on, if i lived there i would .

[momec]

G'Day GW
Can you ask your mate at Lefroy to drive his Cruiser off the causeway onto the salt and get back to us if it sinks or not.
Love your work guys
Chris