THREE Japanese tourists came unstuck on their planned Australian holiday on Thursday when they abandoned their hire car in Moreton Bay after they tried to "drive" to North Stradbroke Island.
The low tide and a GPS navigation system lured them into the bay at Oyster Point at Cleveland.
A firm gravel surface quickly gave way to the renowned bay mangrove mud and the Hyundai Getz was soon up to its axles, but not before they managed to travel about 500 metres.
Their planned adventure to Straddie ended at 11am and the incoming tide soon forced them to seek help and abandon the vehicle.
By 3pm the car was stranded in two metres of water and the subject of much amusement from onlookers on the shore and passing boat and ferry traffic.
The Tokyo students had wanted to take a day trip to Straddie and believed their GPS unit would be able to guide them there. The GPS forgot to mention the 15 kilometres of water and mud between the mainland and the island.
Yuzu Noda, 21, said she was listening to the GPS and "it told us we could drive down there".
