Jumping Crocodiles

 Kookaburra and I were at a loose end today with nothing planned except to stay at our campsite and be eaten by mosquitos.

Kookaburra had researched the day before what was around to do. After discarding several options as being too expensive and not interesting enough we were left with maybe a trip to see some crocodiles. 

We weren't 100% sold with the idea as we'd been trying to avoid them as much as possible but we also saw the irony of going to the Northern Territory and not seeing one.

So with a bit more research and phone calling we found a tour that was within our price range.

With our tour booked for a few hours away we read and baked while slapping away mosquitos, finally it was time to leave, we gratefully pulled away from the little bloodsuckers.

Diving a short way down the road we took the turn that would lead us to Adelaide River Tour Jumping Crocodiles. 

Upon arriving we put together our gear including our water bottles and cameras which we had made sure were fully charged that morning.

After a short wait we were all asked to board, in total there were 20 people including us and the guide, we were the last to board and in doing so afforded us with the best seats in the house.

We were up the front with no one on the other side of us, which made it easy to be on one side or the other.

After a quick introduction and a briefing on where not to put your bodily parts and a joke about were the life jackets were, we started down the river.

We scared a flock of birds and then scared them further on where they landed. I could hear Kookaburra's camera furiously taking photos. I've found out since starting this trip that Kookaburra is quite the bird watcher and loves taking photos of them.

Making a giant U-turn in the river we started back along on the other side. We still hadn't seen a crocodile yet but we were all hopefully scanning the waters surface, trying to discern stick from creature.

Suddenly our guide steered us directly towards the bank and ran us aground. He then baited a hunk of chicken onto the end of a wire attached to a stick. Plopping the chicken in the water and slapping it, all the while talking all about crocodiles and facts about them.

With cries of excitement a female crocodile glided into view headed directly towards the food. Laying down my camera as the lens was my long range one I reached for Kookaburra's phone. 

Quickly snapping off photos and getting a video. It was truly an awe inspiring and yet terrifying display. There were always gasps of awe when the crocodiles missed and it's jaws slammed together coursing a loud slapping sound. 

She eventually got the food so we backed up and continued on. 

Out in the middle of the river we saw two male crocodiles from a distance, it suddenly felt as if they were everywhere. 

Moving past them we came upon Dominator. 

He was huge! Our guide said he's the largest known crocodile in the world. Looking at him I could easily imagine that to be true, he was massive, and so so quick. With the female I was able to take a shoot when I saw she was about to move but with Dominator he was just too quick, I'd be ready and he'd have already made he's move and been done by the time I clicked the button.

He was truly an amazing creature to see. He was so powerful that a hunk of chicken went flying and splattered a passenger when he attacked it. 

He was also terrifying to see, his eyes seemed to stare deep into you without looking away and telling you that you were nothing against him, that he was merely waiting for you to slip up so he could have he's chance.

Moving further along the river we kept our eyes open for any others. Seeing none after a while, we did another U-turn and came back down the river.

Coming upon a smaller crocodile made even more so by the fact that the last one was Dominator, we were amazed and enthralled by how high this one could jump out of the water. It did it several times and I was overjoyed that I was able to capture it on camera.

Once it caught the food we moved on again.

Once again we were scanning the water for a glimpse of one, Kookaburra spotted one off to our left but the boat kept going.

With no crocodiles in sight I amused myself by watching Kookaburra get everyone's hopes up. 

She would hurriedly swing her camera towards the bank and click away and since everyone could see her they'd all swing their heads towards the bank to see one, only they were disappointed every time. 

I realised after the first time that she was trying to get a photo of the mud slides that the crocodiles made but it was too entertaining to inform her of what she was doing. She even got the guide doing it a few times.

We soon came back to where we'd started and there we ran into Dominator again. 

He was gliding gracefully through the water, leaving no ripple in his wake.

We once again stopped to feed him but this time a fish stole it right from beneath his nose.

After saying our goodbyes we headed into shore. 

There had been a group of three behind us that we'd talked to, they'd expressed their love of photos and hoped to get some good ones from this trip. We decided to ask for their email so we could send our photos, as we weren't sure how many they were able to get.

It was an amazing experience and I'm very glad we did it. I can now say that I've seen a Crocodile.