Australian travels...: Holy crickie, its a croc!!!

Day 4, and man did it fly by!! We got our lazy buts out of bed at about 7:30, and I had a shit night sleep. I had a bad cough and somehow a couple mossies got in my net and they where driving me crazy!! Oh well, I got a few hours sleep so it was all good. There was not much planned for our last day, just mainly driving back to Darwin and stopping to see the jumping crocs. We stopped in Jabiru, an aboriginal community with an awesome bakery where we all got a bite to eat. We fueled up and hit the road trying to get to the jumping crocs in time, arriving 10 minutes before departure! There are about three different companies that have jumping crocodile cruises all with different sizes of boats. We picked the company with the smallest boat, and also a very small reception! After a drive on a 3km dirt road, we arrived at this tiny reception on the side of the Adelaide River. Nothing was permanently covered, but it was equipped with river side 'fancy' long-drop-johnny's - with flush toilets, refreshments, and shaded tables and chairs to chill at while waiting. I'd call it a 'rugged fancy' reception! The boat held about 25 people and it was pretty full, but that was ok as both sides of the boat got jumping croc action. As the captain, Morgan, was lining up the boat for us to embark, one of the bigger crocs came up to see what was going on, and man was he big!!! His name was Godfrey, and he was missing his front right leg. All the crocodiles we saw are salt water crocs and can get very big, like 5meters big, and bigger. Morgan got right into the swing of things and fed the hungry Godfrey! He had a big body, big in (some missing), a long tail and butt ass ugly!!! We headed up stream and found some more crocs, there where 2, a bit smaller, but they could jump the entire way out of the water! Crocodiles are very territorial and so you will never find more then a couple in one area. As we headed back downstream Godfrey came and found us again, he must have been hungry. Morgan fed the crocs buffalo, and he teased them in order to get them to do tricks. Whether it be jump out of the water, fall backwards, lean into the boat, or snap their jaws. We never heard a loud snap, but we saw one little guy who could swing his head around and snap the meat so quickly you could hardly see it! We also saw some amazing birds on the Adelaide River. Can't remember any of there names, but a couple of them would swoop down and grab the meat off the stick before the crocs had a chance to get it! One bird, Morgan threw the meat in the air and he would swoop down so quickly and with such precision to grab the meat. He also left a piece of meat on the railing of the boat, and he swooped down and grabbed it off the railing!

The last set of crocs we saw where the biggest, well, "he" was anyways. Morgan was able to guide him up on the shore of the river so we could see how big he was, and I couldn't get all of him on my camera! Let me tell ya, I would not want to get in one of these guys ways, as they do sneak up so quietly. Hell, we would even miss them in the water and we where looking for them! We where on the river for over an hour and it was well worth the $30 to see these amazing creatures so up close and personal!

After seeing the crocs we drove up to the town of Humpty Doo, which has a pub known for its social atmosphere and good food. However, it was too early in the day, and couldn't order food yet. SO, we hit the cafe next door and got some on-the-go food. We decided to head to Barry Springs to end the trip as we hadn't been swimming yet! We picked up some beers and took the 30 minute drive to the beautiful springs. To ms the springs are so different then anything I have seen in Canada. I can't explain how they are different they just are! And, I love it! The pools we where in had fish in them, as there where fish in many of the others, but these fish where aggressive and would come up and nibble on your leg! I had one nibble at a small wound on I had on my foot (from slipping off the rock into the water a couple days before) and that was it, I was out of the pool and on dry land!!! After a good hour or so we decided it was time to head back to Darwin as Steve, Troy and Karen where all going to a concert. We dropped off all the gear at there place, then drove me home, finally arriving after 6pm.

I was ready to keep drinking (as we had a couple of beer at the springs) and found a couple of my friends at the Deck Bar in town. Zoe, Matty and Coxy where home and they agreed to drive me into town, only to come in for one beer.....yeah, right!! It was a great way to end my fantastic trip, and am hoping to make it out to some of these amazing places again before I leave. Some of the places close during the built-up and the wet season, so it will have to be soon......I guess I'll just have to play it by year. Litchfield is close enough to go and see on a day trip, so maybe I'll have to rent a car and do that!