catmandoo
Active member
A crocodile cruise or a \"weir \"d encounter
4 years ago in Ndumo park in Maputoland on SA side of Mozambique border SWIMBO and I were on large salt pan in aluminium boat with 4 others plus guide who was operating the large outboard . Pan was edged with reeds and was full of hippos and Nile crocodiles. We stopped at the far end of the pan for sundowners (i.e. G and T's) on the wall of a dam with a weir which maintained the water level of the upstream pan . The weir in the middle of the dam was about the width of the boat and allowed water to over flow to a lower basin. At the bottom of weir 5 foot below in the was a large 12 ft crocodile with mouth open presumably to catch anything coming over so we took some pictures .
Got back into boat to return as the sun had set and the mozzies were attacking . Guide started engine and unfortunately hit rock stalling engine as upstream of weir was shallow and silted but with rocky fill . Boat then started to drift towards weir mouth as guide valiently tried to restart outboard and we watched with heart in mouth the inevitable slide into oblivion . Why no one picked up the boat hook to stop the drift I don't know Luckily we ended up jammed across the notch but directly 5ft below the starboard side was the large croc and 3 others waiting idly by.
Large exodus to land followed with ladies in front and we tried to pull boat off but painter was only 4 ft of string and water pressure too great so the men had to wade along the upstream port side and try to manhandle the boat off.
On looking back upsteam a few minutes later we saw about 15 ft a way a pair of interested crocodile eyes . Another mass exodus . Guide then told us radio out of range so no Landrover to save us . No way could we walk back because of lions . Ultimately we timidly crept back into the water and luckily manged to dislodge boat and motor back for an hour in the dark .
Lots of rude words later to camp manager
.
Still see those eyes in my dreams /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
4 years ago in Ndumo park in Maputoland on SA side of Mozambique border SWIMBO and I were on large salt pan in aluminium boat with 4 others plus guide who was operating the large outboard . Pan was edged with reeds and was full of hippos and Nile crocodiles. We stopped at the far end of the pan for sundowners (i.e. G and T's) on the wall of a dam with a weir which maintained the water level of the upstream pan . The weir in the middle of the dam was about the width of the boat and allowed water to over flow to a lower basin. At the bottom of weir 5 foot below in the was a large 12 ft crocodile with mouth open presumably to catch anything coming over so we took some pictures .
Got back into boat to return as the sun had set and the mozzies were attacking . Guide started engine and unfortunately hit rock stalling engine as upstream of weir was shallow and silted but with rocky fill . Boat then started to drift towards weir mouth as guide valiently tried to restart outboard and we watched with heart in mouth the inevitable slide into oblivion . Why no one picked up the boat hook to stop the drift I don't know Luckily we ended up jammed across the notch but directly 5ft below the starboard side was the large croc and 3 others waiting idly by.
Large exodus to land followed with ladies in front and we tried to pull boat off but painter was only 4 ft of string and water pressure too great so the men had to wade along the upstream port side and try to manhandle the boat off.
On looking back upsteam a few minutes later we saw about 15 ft a way a pair of interested crocodile eyes . Another mass exodus . Guide then told us radio out of range so no Landrover to save us . No way could we walk back because of lions . Ultimately we timidly crept back into the water and luckily manged to dislodge boat and motor back for an hour in the dark .
Lots of rude words later to camp manager
.
Still see those eyes in my dreams /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif