I will put this clip up next week
I read the paper on Friday that reported the blog I posted about the Corroboree incident and was amazed that it wasn't dramatized, just straight facts.
In 30 yrs. I have had plenty of minor incursions, some I learnt a lesson from, such as the time of evening that is most dangerous from a fishing perspective, we stay out of the dark because that's an obvious time but the early morning transition and the evening one when we start or finish our day is the time we are most vulnerable the time we are unable to see into the water the time that stealth begins.
Sounds a little dramatic, Dotty and I standing on a beach in 1989, 6.30 in the evening fueling a boat on the edge of the light, our blue heeler watching and warning us of a crocodile 20ft out, she couldn't see into the water at that late stage, another crocodile sneaked in against the bank submerged and when she came down to warn us again 14ft of Croc exploded out of the water and went a body length to get her. That dog could see a crocs eyebrow at 50 metres.
I am to this day extremely careful if I cannot see into the water in times of low light.
Another, time at the end of day I had parked my boat next to the beach while I cleaned it, with one swing sitting on the gunnel I got off and landed right on a big crocodile who got in between the boat and shore, lesson don't assume without looking because complacency can bring you unstuck fast.
Lenny and I were in a billabong runoff 3 years ago and encountered a big crocodile which ate everything we tried to bring up to release, right at the gunnel.
In Shady Camp billabong 4 years ago when filming Crocodiles for another project we counted over 100 in 3 or 4 kilometres.
Their numbers are on the rise, like our numbers, encounters are more frequent. They learn and so do I, no more will anybody stand with out something to Grab on to. That's my lesson I got away with it this time.
As you, Dion and others have always advised......we have to respect them. I noticed in the NT News on Saturday there was an article saying that parks and wildlife rangers are not allowed to speak directly to the media anymore. Must go through a 'spin doctor'......strange ??? Our rangers have always had a great relationship with the media and now they are apparently being gagged.
ReplyDeleteNo idea why the gag, if Tommy Nickalls asked me about trapping that Croc I would say what croc, never saw it ,I filmed over 30 on a carcass 2 yrs. ago only 2 kilometres away. Take your pick
ReplyDeleteI think the onus is on us to be safe, whatever that takes.
Couldn't agree more, repect them, enjoy them and leave them alone in their own environment. I was out on Corroboree over the last couple of afternoons and had the joint totally to myself, not one other boat!! The crocs were content and happy to leave me and my little tinny alone, but it was significantly cooler than it has been, which tends to slow them down a bit. I was on the Adelaide all night on Tuesday and in the morning it was really cold, and the crocs were waiting in anticipation for those first rays of sun to hit them. They were very reluctant (actually probably bordering on incapable) to move until the sun warmed their cold blood and raised their metabolism a bit.
ReplyDeleteFunny, I was down near the mouth of Scotts last night at about 7pm (the last 12 hr sawfish track) and a croc about 2.5 metres swam directly up to the back of the boat and asked me for a free feed. I obliged with a whack with the oar handle. It is these young crocs that worry me. They haven't survived hunting like the big old fellas and the only thing they know from a hatchling is that food comes from a person with a stick with a bit of meat hanging off it. That to me is potentially dangerous and could seriously use some deeper thinking and perhap regulation. These animals will grow big and will expect food to come from a boat. Bit of a no brainer if you ask me!!
Cheers,
Dion