Aussie ABC – C is for Crocodile!

Last Updated on August 18, 2019 by Red Nomad OZ

Books of etiquette and protocol offer no guidance on what to wear to a crocodile viewing. So who’s to say that the young woman outfitted as the diabolical love child of Heidi and Morticia Addams was dressed inappropriately for our Adelaide River ‘Jumping Croc’ tour near Darwin?

 

The fitted black stretch shrug over the tight black lace top tucked into the low-rise denim crotch-hugger shorts held up by a cartridge belt fastened with a Beatles belt buckle was certainly striking. And perfectly matched with the the thick flaxen plaits just a little too platinum to be real – like the large petalled flower tucked into the Paris Hilton sunnies that completed her look.
If I’d had a fashion infringement notice I would’ve issued it on the spot.
Difficult though it was to fight my way through the flocks of young males surrounding her, I gave Pilchard every opportunity to capture this vision on film by standing next to her. BUT … Pilchard was one of the few males aboard actually photographing the crocodiles we’d come to see.
With so many ‘Jumping Croc’ tours, I don’t recall the name of this one – well, it WAS almost 3 years ago – but their popularity underlines our fascination with this prehistoric predator. Although the ethics of pimping them to tourists in return for an easy feed is debatable …
While not exclusive to OZ, Australia is arguably the crocodile’s spiritual home – with the discovery of Isisfordia duncani, the ‘mother of all crocodiles’ near Isisford in Queensland. But in the flesh – actually the fossilised skeleton – what’s believed to be the antecedent of all modern crocodilians is unremarkable.
Not so ‘Krys’, the Big Crocodile at Normanton, Queensland. Yes, this whopper – bigger than JAWS at 8.63 metres long (28′ 4″) – is often mistaken for one of Australia’s notorious Big Things. But unlike other big things that are several times bigger than their real life counterparts, Krys is actually a life size replica of the largest crocodile ever ‘taken’ in the world.
No, that’s NOT a tyre in the water …

 

‘Taken’ is, of course, a euphemism for ‘shot the crap out of’ – because the female shooter (Krystina Pawlowski for whom the crocodile was named) had little choice for survival other than to shoot it. Still, you’d need a strong nerve and steady aim to stay alive if this prehistoric predator was heading your way!
Australia is home to only two species of the world’s largest reptile with crocodylus porosus (also known as the saltwater crocodile or ‘saltie’) the most common – and dangerous! The warnings by almost every Northern OZ waterway aren’t just there for decoration – and Crocodile Dundee won’t be around to bail you out!
And something tells me a hungry crocodile won’t give a damn what you’re wearing!
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34 comments

  1. @ixy – there’s ‘slob’ … and then there’s ‘slag’!! Thanx for dropping by!!
    @kimberley rae – yeah, I’m SO annoyed about not getting a ‘proof’ pic – not everyone actually believes me!! But I guess I’m thankful my partner was actually more interested in the crox than in Heidi/Morticia …
    @Trigirl – yeah, call me crazy, but I don’t make a habit of it either …
    @TGN – maybe she’d just come from a night on the town … perhaps on the streets?? My pleasure to link up – there’s always heaps of great links on your hop!

  2. That huge croc is almost as ridic as the clothes that lady was wearing!! Haha, this is a great story. And I am so glad you chose to share it on the Storytellers Blog Hop! Thanks for linking up again!

  3. Stopping by from the Storyteller hop. What a great story! I have a stunning visual of the girl at the beginning–you cracked me up! The crocs were really interesting too since I don’t really hang around croc-infested waters 🙂

  4. ahhh!! i grew up in florida and was (and still am) terrified of alligators! there are tons of “alligator farm” attractions in FL but none as interactive as these crocs!! wish you couldve got a pic of the fashion crime! hahaha!

    stopping by from storyteller hop!!

  5. That giant crocodile is crazy!! It looks like something you’d see in a dinosaur museum. Re: Paris, it’s nice not to be a slob, but a fashion citation certainly sounds warranted. I would think you’d be trying to avoid drawing the croc’s attention. Just sayin’.

    Visiting from the Storytellers Blog Hop 🙂

  6. @Patricia – AAARRGGH!! Alligators in your YARD!! I don’t think I can top that …
    @Krafty Max – Thanx for following, look forward to your return!! Will hop back and check you out soon!!

  7. Hop’pin by from ‘Sit & Relax Weekend Hop’. I’m following your blog now, wont you please come and follow me back?? ~KM

    Krafty Max Originals

  8. Cute! Very very cute!
    Here we have A for alligator. I live northeast of Houston, Tx is same town. We have alligators in our yard occasionally but I haven’t taken any pics of them. Just don’t want them eating our grandkids, dogs or my cats.
    Will definitely following your adventures great blog. I am following you from Heartfelt Balance Handmade Life, she has a great blog also. Please follow me even though I can not be exciting as you.
    http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com/

  9. @Michelle – Haha, I had the more minimalist tank top/shorts outfit, as it was 35 degrees C (~95F)! I’m sure alligators are scary too …
    @apple – welcome! Yes, I took the cowards way out and stood well back – you can see how high those things jump!
    @Clayton Thomas – welcome to you too! Not sure that ‘enjoyed’ is the right word – but it sure was an experience!!

  10. This would be fun and adventurous until I actually saw the first croc. I’m a chicken! Then I’d be running home! Very fun blog! Great pics! I’m a new follower!

  11. LOL. I thought at first you were describing what you were wearing! I’m originally from Florida, so we had lots of alligators, which thankfully are the type of crocodilian reptiles you would want to come upon, if you were going to run into one in the wild(As opposed to crocodiles!) Still wouldn’t want to run into one. Loved your story. Thanks for stopping by my weekend hop!

  12. @Manzanita – Bummer, who knows what words of wisdom have been lost forever?!?! But the new words you found are great!! And you’re right about crocs – they ARE scary!!

  13. I lost my comment. It just went white and then poof. Now I forgot what I said.
    Fashion infringement notice…. you crack me up. I love your writing…. not so crazy about crocs. Too scary. I’d probably be critiquing the clothes too.

  14. @Joe – wise decision! But it’s amazing what people will do when they’re drunk … Welcome!!
    @L’Aussie – my ‘tyre’ shot above was taken on the Yellow River cruise – sensational!!
    @diane b – welcome!! Maybe it depends a) where you see them, b) how big they are, c) what they’re doing!!
    @River – haha! Great definition!! Apparently crocs are the only reptile (of any size) to give voice!!
    @Marie – welcome to you too!! Ah yes, what CAN you do? Just hope the other tourists are as amused as I was by Heidi/Morticia!! I’ve never seen the attraction of croc-leather goods, but that’s just me …
    @Gina – Hey, long time no see! I hope never to meet one in the wild … and thanx for the award!! You’re too kind!! I’ll pop over later …
    @Marshall Stacks – yes, I always find crocs a bit sad looking in farms/parks/zoos. And what comes next after Beatnik, Goth, …???

  15. Marie’s comment has triggered the memory for me – There are crocodiles in a fenced pond at Dreamworld on The Gold Coast. I felt sorry for them and did not linger. The Tiger show there is totally wonderful and I recommend that though.
    and Marie –
    I also had a Goth-phase daughter who spent a late 80’s summer in full booted black drag. Divine Retribution on me for the Beatnik phase I horrified my own parents with in 1963.

  16. Thank you for stopping by 😉 I enjoyed the crocs very interesting to say the least…I would be scared out of my clothes to walk up on something like that.

    I would like to give you the stlyish blogger award so come by my page and claim your award.

    Blessings
    Gina

  17. I once went on a family holiday to the Gold Coast for a week and my teenage daughter was in “Goth mode”. So while we were flitting about in summery clothes and sandals and our hair tied back, she resolutely stomped around everywhere in her long black skirt, long cardigan, Doc Martins and dyed black hair hanging down attracting stares at every place we visited. Honestly, it was like going on holidays with the grim reaper, but what can you do?

    I’ve only ever seen crocs in Bangkok and I suspect from the array of goods on sale that there was a shoe and belt factory out the back, so it made me feel rather ill. Like River, I think I’ll stick to crocs on the telly.

  18. I’ll stick to watching crocs on TV.
    I’m not the daring fearless sort.

    Word verification: hauck; the sound made by a croc as he spits out the bits he doesn’t like.

  19. Lots of info about crocs here. I saw lots in NT when I was there but they weren’t as scary as I thought they would be.

  20. Hi Red Nomad. I was in Darwin not so long ago and took one of the Yellow River tours run by the indigenous people. Loved it. Saw lots of crocs.

    I’m dying to get to Coober Pedy one day.

    Thanks for visiting me during the A-Z Challenge. Rather taxing for a month but at least I’m getting a lot of posts on my travel site.

    Denise<3

  21. @Kath – weirdly, when I think of this tour, I think of Heidi/Morticia rather than the main attraction. Pilchard & I found the commercialisation off-putting, but their power and strength is just awesome!

  22. Love Chunks took my parents on the Adelaide River croc tour when we were living in Darwin. They came home silent; sort of wrestling with the idea of whether it was morally right to be seeing them ‘perform’ but also rather stunned at how big and ferocious the crocs were.

    I was in an air conditioned office and rather grateful that I didn’t have to make that choice. 🙂

  23. @Marshall Stacks – Remember the original Batman movie where he whipped out a can of shark repellent? There MUST be a similar product other than chain mail to make one croc-proof!!

  24. @Mary – Sadly, I didn’t get a shot of the Big Boxing Croc at Humpty Doo … but Crocs are big business downunder!!
    @Retro Roamers – Hey, yeah! But I was about 12-13 years younger then … still untouched by the ravages of time!!
    @Sailor – You should read all the stuff I left out!!
    @Windsmoke – ARRGGGH!! Haven’t seen that one – but watching two crocs fighting over a dead cow floating downstream near our campsite sure made up for it!
    @Andrew – Kite feeding?? Yeah, the power in the jaws and tail is awesome – AND scary!! A concern on our tour was the way everyone rushed over to one side of the boat when a croc was sighted!! Couldn’t they see how high they leapt?!?! No, they were all watching Ms Heidi bending over …

  25. oh god andrew the poor horse.
    I cannot believe anybody with a brain would go near a crocodile deliberately, but your Fashion Infringement chick sounds amazing.
    I would wear something chewproof – maybe kevlar – and enabling fast movement.

  26. We did a croc feeding cruise, and quite interesting too was the kite feeding. The van stopped on a levee for us to look at an erect monitor. We did not wander far. We were watching a bird on water similar to that in your photo and before our eyes, it disappeared with a bit of a splash. We also saw the carcass of horse that had been taking a drink at the wrong time.

  27. That’s one big crocodile reminds me of the crocodile in the aussie movie Rogue that’s a scary movie indeed worth a watch filmed in the Top End of Australia of course :-).

  28. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. I never would have thought this concept could become a tourist attraction. Guess that shows how much I know :-). I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary

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