Sunday, November 21, 2004
Crocs and stingers
Tonight's walk across the tidal sand flats became a little more exciting than expected when I waded across an inlet that was knee-deep, quite a lot deeper than I usually venture because of the ever-present danger of stingers. Stingers - as you may or may not know - are box jellyfish, a deadly jellyfish with stinging tentacles about a metre long. Half way across I felt something long and thin brush against my legs, followed by a burning, stinging sensation. I completed the short crossing in record time, lifting my legs high. At the other side I inspected the damage and couldn't see any welts although the stinging kept on for the rest of the walk home. Since I'm still alive, I guess it wasn't a stinger - maybe just some lesser breed of jellyfish.
Halfway to the next shallow water crossing, I met a man walking his dog who asked me whether I was a local, to which I replied in the affirmative. "Do they usually report crocodiles on the beach?" he asked, pointing to a spot 10 metres distant where I saw a small (about 5ft) crocodile resting on the bank of the crossing, mouth wide open and testing the breeze. I won't report the expletive I used, thinking of the fact that I'd just been wading in knee-deep water. "It's only small," he said, "but I just watched it come out of the water." It may have been small, but it was only 3 inches smaller than me in height and a great deal heavier.
Since neither of us had a mobile phone and I was only 15 minutes walk from home, I assured him I would report it. There were heaps of people, including children, and dogs, walking along this popular suburban beach.
I told you Darwin was a great place for wildlife!
Halfway to the next shallow water crossing, I met a man walking his dog who asked me whether I was a local, to which I replied in the affirmative. "Do they usually report crocodiles on the beach?" he asked, pointing to a spot 10 metres distant where I saw a small (about 5ft) crocodile resting on the bank of the crossing, mouth wide open and testing the breeze. I won't report the expletive I used, thinking of the fact that I'd just been wading in knee-deep water. "It's only small," he said, "but I just watched it come out of the water." It may have been small, but it was only 3 inches smaller than me in height and a great deal heavier.
Since neither of us had a mobile phone and I was only 15 minutes walk from home, I assured him I would report it. There were heaps of people, including children, and dogs, walking along this popular suburban beach.
I told you Darwin was a great place for wildlife!
Comments:
Ah ....yeah..... I'm quite happy with my bobtail lizards and rainbow lorikeets in the backyard and the dolphins in the river we have here. No EXTREME WILDLIFE for me, thanks.....
I'd be constantly living in fear of brown snakes crawling into my bed. When I was a kid, for years I would compulsively pull all the covers back on my bed before I got in it, and checked for spiders. You see, I saw a Burke's Backyard advert that showed Don doing the same thing, except when he did it, a huge big scary black spider was running around under the covers.
Don Burke - Warping the minds of this nation's youth. Not after tonight though, as its his final show, so the anecdote is rather fitting. Farewell Don. Thanks for the fucking neurosis!
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I'd be constantly living in fear of brown snakes crawling into my bed. When I was a kid, for years I would compulsively pull all the covers back on my bed before I got in it, and checked for spiders. You see, I saw a Burke's Backyard advert that showed Don doing the same thing, except when he did it, a huge big scary black spider was running around under the covers.
Don Burke - Warping the minds of this nation's youth. Not after tonight though, as its his final show, so the anecdote is rather fitting. Farewell Don. Thanks for the fucking neurosis!
