Only a Matter of Time

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 01:52
ThreadID: 76937 Views:4173 Replies:9 FollowUps:8
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It really amazes me, every time I go into Adelaide River I see Southern Vehicles with toy Tinnies on the roof, on trailers, or on top of the camper Trailers, like the ones they use on the Hume Dam or the Murray, I shudder at the thought of going on waters up here in such flimsy looking craft. These people must be gamer than old Ned, I have been fishing with a mate over in Kakadu and his boat has good high sides and sits up well in the water, apparently it nearly happened on the 12th , these blokes were lucky this time,

The story Here

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Reply By: Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 06:37

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 06:37
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

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Follow Up By: Member - Ed C (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 09:59

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 09:59
That comment echoes something I have been saying for quite a few years, re those stupid stupid stupid 'leaping crocodile' cruises......

As Doug says, "It's Only a Matter of Time"..............

:)

Confucius say.....
"He who lie underneath automobile with tool in hand,
....Not necessarily mechanic!!"

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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 13:01

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 13:01
Yep ...

Teaching crocs to jump around boats ... is as dumb as playing fetch with your dog and a car tyre.
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Reply By: Member - Old Girl (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 07:17

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 07:17
Another fisherman attacked
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Follow Up By: Member - Old Girl (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 07:20

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 07:20
Sory wrong link
Try this one
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Reply By: Member - Willie , Sydney. - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 07:34

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 07:34
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.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 12:03

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 12:03
Hi Willie

Cahills Crossing - that is where people seem to use their toddlers as burley! Both days we were there, people were fishing on from the crossing, not watching their little children climbing on the rocks at the sides of the crossing, with large crocs lined up either side as the tide was coming in.

Motherhen
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Reply By: Member - Duncs - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 10:00

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 10:00
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
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Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 11:03

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 11:03
I worked on crayfish trawler up in the Torres Straits many years ago and nothing would surprise you when you see some of the tinnies up there. Admitedly they were running much bigger motors but still, a 12 or 14 foot tinnie with 4 or 5 locals making the trip from one of the outer islands to the cape is just the norm (sometimes a 4 or 5 day trip). Even we were caught out by a "local squal" that had us blown way off target and lucky not to end up on our way to New Caledonia in our 12ft dive tinnie. From the back of the tinnie you could not see the bow with the skin cutting rain and wind, found out later it was blowing 50knots and we were in a bloody 12 ft tinnie......very very lucky that the skipper had 28yrs of local knowledge and knew to run the tinnie up onto a reef to get our bearings. I was wearing my safety singlet and stubbies and actually had red welts bordering on cuts, on my arms from the sheets of rain hammering my arms. An event I will never forget and feel lucky to be able to tell the tale.

The open ocean is no place to take lightly, not that dissimilar to the desert country in a way.

Cheers, Trevor.
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Reply By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 14:53

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 14:53
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
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 15:01

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 15:01
What I always think is white man has been on this land for just over 230 years, the Black Man some 40,000 + - years , the Crocs are really the last living Dinosaur , been here for probably 60 million + years and in just a few years of hunting nearly wiped them out, I would hate to see that happen again, We must learn to Co-exist with them ,
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Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 15:07

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 15:07
I agree Doug and I also find that sharing the wilds with crocs just makes the whole experience just so much more special. I respect them and try my best not to give them an easy meal.

I think the old thinking is that they used to be shy of tinnies because up until 1970 it usually meant a shooter but now they associate it with food and this can't be a good thing.

Kind regards
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Reply By: Wilko - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 20:55

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 20:55
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
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Follow Up By: Maîneÿ . . .- Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 22:22

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 22:22
I run right over the top of a croc in the Mary River back in 2006, I did not see him.
I was in a tinny about 3.5 mt long, with a 15 hp outbord and going flat out down the river, I almost got thrown out as the tinny went up at the front till the motor skeg hit the croc and kicked up out of the water with the controll arm dropping to the floor.
I looked back to see what I had hit and thought how lucky I was the boat kept going in a straight line and had not flipped.

This year I'm taking my 4.2 mt Stacer north after attending the Exploroz 2010 National Gathering being held at Wiluna in *outback* Western Australia.

Maîneÿ . . .
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Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 21:45

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 21:45
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
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 22:18

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 at 22:18
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

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Reply By: Member - Barnesy - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 01:41

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 01:41
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.
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