Catching Crocs in Kakadu National Park
Step 1: Make sure you're completely broke
The life of a backpacker is a cyclical thing: you're either having too much fun to worry about money or you're too broke to think of anything else. Well, the latter is the state I found myself in when I arrived in Australia's Northern Territory earlier this year. I had just spent three weeks touring around Thailand and Laos where my meagre budget had been blown by the end of the first week. Thankfully, Lady Luck was on my side and I was gainfully employed within 12 hours of my flight taxiing down in Darwin. I was giddy at the prospect of financial security, but also the icing on the cake: I'd be working in Kakadu National Park, a world heritage site; the only world heritage site for both world culture and natural heritage reasons. Kakadu, I was soon to learn has been home to the indigenous people of Australia for more than 40,000 years, as evident by the stunning cave paintings and rock carvings found at Norlangie Rock and other sites throughout the park.
At the time I knew next to nothing about the job, or really the park itself. But I was game. Ever the nature enthusiast I was picturing gruelling hikes, big bonfire cookouts, star gazing and roasting marshmallows. Basically I was picturing an extended camping trip with just this minor inconvenience of being there to work. The job itself was as a server in Mimi's Restaurant and the Barra Bistro; room and board was included as was the additional perk of free tours and cruises. Covering the likes of Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls, Norlangie Rock, Barramundi Gorge and KakaduAir scenic flights. And although there was no internet access, the phone lines were sketchy at best, and the nearest bit of civilization was 56km away, I was convinced that getting out of the city was just what I needed.
So I spent a skint week in Darwin meeting new people, drinking wine by the boardwalk and reading books by the pool. Then I was off to Gagadju Lodge Cooinda, located about 3.5 hours east of Darwin in the South Alligator River floodplain in Kakadu. This was to be my home for the next six weeks. The work itself was easy, but that's not what I'm going to remember about my time out at Cooinda. For me it's all about the saltie, estuarine or salt water crocodile. However you say it, these monsters could exceed six metres or nearly 20 feet in length, and I loved them.
Step 2: Find a local to show you how it’s done (Going to catch me a croc)
I somehow managed to wrangle four days off in a row and decided to make the most of it. My first night was the bonfire and beers and laughs with my mates. But it was the next day that has gone down in history as the greatest day of my Australian life. My boyfriend at the time, Darren, was a bona fide Australian bloke, a beer loving, ex-semi-pro footy player, born and breed just outside of Darwin. Making Kakadu National Park and Yellow Waters billabong a giant playground for his adolescent years. He decided to show me a slice of his life in a little tin motor boat. I showed my Canadian naivety when pushing the boat off shore and instead of instantly jumping out of the water I remained where I was, wading a little deeper, just enjoying the moment. Darren quickly pointed out that this was probably the quickest way for me to attract the crocs I wanted to see, but it was also the quickest way for me to lose my legs, if not more. That got me moving pretty quickly. For the most part it was a lazy afternoon stretched out in the front of the boat, whizzing past the slow, creeping Yellow Waters cruises, tucking under overhanging branches and discovering new passageways. I was positively mesmerized by the lush, magnificent plant life. I had never seen so many shades of green, the entire environment had such a soothing, pleasant feel that when a eight foot croc would skim past the boat I would forget to be scared, to the point that I was so blissed out that I just wanted to reach over the edge and pet one of my new friends.
At one point Darren docked the boat to go in search of Crocs eggs. There was bit of land where he was convinced the crocs went to nest. I stayed in the boat gripping a paddle waiting to hear panicked screams when not only did Darren find the nest, but found them inhabited. Not entirely sure how I was planning to react because there was NO way I was leaving the safety of the boat. But it all worked out alright when after a seemingly eternity a very muddy and smiling Darren re-emerged from the tall grasses. No croc eggs there.
Step 3: Blind faith. (Just because the croc is three times your size, doesn’t mean you should worry)
As afternoon stretched on and just as we were heading for home we came across two massive crocs. One of them was resting on shore avoiding the 32 degree winter sun; the second was wading just off shore. As the boat approached the croc already in the water quickly dipped under, maybe in search of food, but probably just to avoid the noise of the boats engine. The croc on shore didn't even flinch like he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge our presence. That quickly changed. After the customary photo session, Darren once again exhibited his reckless nature and jumped onto the shore, paddle in hand. With a devilish smile he asked me if I'd ever seen a crocodile run. Which, of course, I hadn't. I wasn't even nervous about what kind of trouble we could be getting ourselves into; I just trusted in my Aussie boy that he really did know what he was doing. And with a loud smack of paddle to ground he showed me how a crocodile runs. The poor creature was so spooked that he jumped up from his slumber and ran in three quick circles, before abandoning us altogether. Now the funny thing about crocs is that their legs are so short in comparison to the rest of their body that they kind of hop from side to side, more than run head on. A few more of these quirky manoeuvres and he was in the water, swimming far, far away. I was delighted, in retrospect it was wrong of us to disturb the natural habitat of these creatures, but at the time I was having too much fun. Whenever I think about that day I wonder how I ever managed to leave Australia at all.
The end result, a fantastic photo of me perched on the edge of our little tin boat pointing at a nine foot crocodile that was lying in the shade just more than a few arms lengths away. One of my favourite travel photos from one of my favourite travel days.
Your turn: Go in search of your own saltie
If you're planning a trip through Kakadu most tours or recommended itineraries will take you through Cooinda and Jabiru. Feel free to sign up for the tours that everyone else has been on, getting the same scripted commentary that everyone else has heard. There's a very good reason why everyone else has done it. Especially the sunrise and sunset Yellow Water Cruises, they're truly spectacular. To be astounded by the chorus of local birds first thing in the morning, or to catch a glimpse of a twelve foot long crocodile while watching the sun sink slowly behind the exotic tropical trees. But if you want something more, look into the fishing charters. Take a personalized trip through Yellow Waters and the south Alligator River, find yourself a little off the beaten path, mingling with real Australians, and cast a line in hopes snagging a Barramundi and turn it into tonight’s dinner. You'll never be sorry when you let a local show you what they love so much about where they are.
