Only a Matter of Time

Love the comment.

"Yes, the stupidity of training wild reptiles to beg for food all for the profit of a few tourist operators is beyond belief. Pity the poor fishermen who will inevitably become the victims."

Posted by: Suzy Kruhse of Darwin 12:46am Saturday

Another fisherman attacked

It amazes me too Doug.

When I started fishing up there on the South Alligator, everybody used a 10 punt and a 15 hp Mariner. As the crocs grew, so did the boats.

I think many from down South, remember the old days and turn up in scary little boats. I can't believe the number of grey nomads I see dangling a cherubin under a float, blissfully unaware, in a tiny tinny.

Or the people fishing from the bank at Cahills Crossing or Shady Camp. It makes my blood run cold.

It is only a matter of time.

Thanks for the story,

Willie.

The fisho in the tinnie. They are iconic and sadly some of them are icons of stupidity.

A few years ago now I was sailing with my Dad from Lake Macquarie to Botany Bay. We were in a 9m bridge deck catamaran and because there was no wind had the motor going.

The practice was that when we changed helmsman the guy being relieved would brief the relief on what he was watching and the relief would stand and have a good look around before taking over. We had done that and Dad went into to galley to make coffee. I stood for a while watching carefully where I was going but there was nothing visible.

Dad came up with the coffee and placed my cup on the cabin top just as we crested one of the long low swells that was running. He immediately reached across and pushed the helm hard to starboard. I was shocked to see a tiny tinnie with a grey haired old man sitting in a grey jacket, fishing.

While I accept that it was a very still day with a long low swell and excellent conditions for fishing I was shocked because we were over 3 miles out to sea. This guy had about 150mm of freeboard and was nearly invisible against the grey ocean. This was a definite car topper with a tiny outboard. Probably chosen for its ease of launch and recovery rather than its sea worthiness.

My Dad worked in ocean rescue in the North Sea for years and sees more in the water than anyone I have ever met. He has also sailed extensively on the NSW and Qld coasts and is aware of the risk of the tinnie but even he was shocked that such a small boat was so far out to sea.

It floats she'll be right.

Duncs

G'day Doug,

Just as another thought though, and I'm thinking Keith Adams here, I wonder if the problem is the small tinnie or the crocs? Now in Keith's travel tales he mentioned his home made boat which on the video looks "flimsy" and he would have shot any respectable croc for its skin. I got the impression that he did not suffer the same problem we have today notwithstanding his little boat.

I'm not for returning to the bad old days but maybe crocs have been given just a little too much importance in solving this problem.

We have a similar problem with dingos on Fraser and I feel saddened that the only solution is to shoot these dogs when in fact a sling shot would make them considerably more timid. Similarly I was in Lakefield in 1993 and there was this water hole with about 3 crocs (that I could see) and I mentioned this to the ranger who said that they shoot them with bird shot to make them shy. This may not be the current croc management thinking but it seemed like a good idea to me.

Kind regards

Hi Doug,

What size boat woud you recommend, 4.5 mt , 5mt ? or is the freeboard the main worry.

Just wondering if the Old mans 4.5mt centre console would be something you would shake your head at.

I agree about some of the tiny boats you see, going up and down the rivers up there, a 12 ft tinny feels small when you see a 14ft croc.

Cheers Wilko

Gday Doug,
Oh well...its only a tourist. LOL

Really though......they are only going to get themselves hurt? As long as their stupidity doesnt case a heap more rules and regulations.

Cheers
Hairy

Wilco
I have added a couple of photo's elsewhere, too big to put up on here, this boat would be the minimum for my liking. The bottom photo I took at Yellow Water Billabong,

PHOTO LINK

.

I took my 3.5m tinny all the way up to the Kimberley in preparation for doing some serious barra fishing along the Ord. The first time I saw a 4m croc was when I decided not to put the boat in the water. I think a 4.2 metre high sided boat would be the minimum I would use up there.