John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
You should never sleep on a beach or bank in Australia's croc country.
A post from Wildman Adventures.
This is why you don’t camp on the beach in Croc Country..
A mate of mine was attacked by a Saltwater Crocodile while sleeping in his swag on a remote beach in near Broome in Western Australia.
These are his words:
“We’d been to this camping spot heaps of times and always seen crocs around, but we’d never seen one come up onto the beach. We’d been there three days and hadn’t seen a single croc. We even joked that there must be a big one around.
On the third night I woke up to an animal biting the base of my swag, just missing my feet. I instantly thought it was either a croc or a dingo.
I reached up to open the fly mesh and get out. As soon as I did, the animal grabbed my hand and pulled it through the mesh. I punched it, and on the second punch I realised it was a croc. From the size of its head, I knew it was a big one.
I was face to face with it. I could see its white teeth and the shadow of its head only about 200mm from my face. It started turning its head with my hand still in its mouth, but I couldn’t move because half its body was on top of me.
I used my other hand to push up under its jaw and managed to wriggle and kick until I got out from underneath it. I crawled backwards, got to my knees, then my feet, and started punching it again.
I was screaming for help but nobody woke up.
Eventually it let go of my hand. It opened its mouth to try and get a better grip and I must have accidentally punched one of its teeth because I cut my thumb open badly. I managed to run and jump onto the roof of a car.
That’s when everyone woke up. We looked back and there was a 3-metre croc just sitting there, not even moving.”
The injuries were severe.
“I had multiple fractures in both hands, including four fractures in my thumb. I’ve had six surgeries in total and needed K-wires inserted to hold the bones together.
By the time I reached Broome Hospital, my hands were already infected. The pain was 11 out of 10. I don’t know how I didn’t pass out. After a night in Broome, I was flown to Perth by the Royal Flying Doctor Service and spent five nights in Royal Perth Hospital.”
His message afterwards is worth remembering:
“The only thing I want people to know is that every time we’re out there in nature it’s a blessing. We’re lucky to share these places with the animals that live there.”
And one final lesson from the man himself:
“Definitely won’t be sleeping in a swag within view of the water anytime soon”
A post from Wildman Adventures.
This is why you don’t camp on the beach in Croc Country..
A mate of mine was attacked by a Saltwater Crocodile while sleeping in his swag on a remote beach in near Broome in Western Australia.
These are his words:
“We’d been to this camping spot heaps of times and always seen crocs around, but we’d never seen one come up onto the beach. We’d been there three days and hadn’t seen a single croc. We even joked that there must be a big one around.
On the third night I woke up to an animal biting the base of my swag, just missing my feet. I instantly thought it was either a croc or a dingo.
I reached up to open the fly mesh and get out. As soon as I did, the animal grabbed my hand and pulled it through the mesh. I punched it, and on the second punch I realised it was a croc. From the size of its head, I knew it was a big one.
I was face to face with it. I could see its white teeth and the shadow of its head only about 200mm from my face. It started turning its head with my hand still in its mouth, but I couldn’t move because half its body was on top of me.
I used my other hand to push up under its jaw and managed to wriggle and kick until I got out from underneath it. I crawled backwards, got to my knees, then my feet, and started punching it again.
I was screaming for help but nobody woke up.
Eventually it let go of my hand. It opened its mouth to try and get a better grip and I must have accidentally punched one of its teeth because I cut my thumb open badly. I managed to run and jump onto the roof of a car.
That’s when everyone woke up. We looked back and there was a 3-metre croc just sitting there, not even moving.”
The injuries were severe.
“I had multiple fractures in both hands, including four fractures in my thumb. I’ve had six surgeries in total and needed K-wires inserted to hold the bones together.
By the time I reached Broome Hospital, my hands were already infected. The pain was 11 out of 10. I don’t know how I didn’t pass out. After a night in Broome, I was flown to Perth by the Royal Flying Doctor Service and spent five nights in Royal Perth Hospital.”
His message afterwards is worth remembering:
“The only thing I want people to know is that every time we’re out there in nature it’s a blessing. We’re lucky to share these places with the animals that live there.”
And one final lesson from the man himself:
“Definitely won’t be sleeping in a swag within view of the water anytime soon”
