Crocodiles  Jumping For Our Tourists

Welcome back to the Fishermans blog , friends today I would like to tell you just a little about our world famous Adelaide River Jumping Crocodiles , and add some photographs to help you visulaize the experience that so  many tourists from around the world flock to see.

Adelaide River

The  river is in the top end of the Northern Territory of Australia . If you were to fly to Darwin and join a tour group there they will take you by mini  bus 90 km from Darwin to where the  Jumping Crocodile cruises are located.   These cruises are set up along side the Arnhem highway bridge that crosses the  river to get to another famous spot  Kakadu National Park , which is another 90km further on .

The roads are all first class bitumen sealed , to the  cruises pickup wharf and tourists coffe shop. To see a  map of the area that will perhaps explain the location a little clearer and show you where I live on the Adelaide River  you may like to visit my other blog  here .  There are thousands of crocodiles in  the Northern Territory of Australia, and when you are negotiating any waterways around here, you must have your witts about you at all times.

Getting  Crocodiles  To  Jump

This process has evolved over time  from the crocodiles being fed regularly, at the same spots . The  cruise will go approximately  4km up river and move at a very slow pace , so the tourists get to spot all the crocodiles and take in the beautiful surroundings of the  Adelaide  River wildlife and birds. When they are approaching the crocodiles some will surface and begin to swim to the boat . while others will just lie in the mud at the rivers edge.
They vary in size from  3 to 6 mtrs , at this point the boat will stop and  dangle some meat from a string on a pole. They will  raise the dangling meat up and down until the crocodile is ready to jump, they can tell this as his tail section will sink deep into the water to get the propulsion he needs to launch himself.  All this action happens within 2 or 3 mtrs from the side of the boat, and to see a  huge crocodile  jump out of the water is awesome .

Although this is a great spectacle and tourist attraction , getting crocodiles to jump in the wild like this .  Some will argue that it only encourages crocodiles in the wild to jump into and attack unsuspecting fisherman and boating enthusiasts .  The last photo I will share with you may support, that Adelaide  River  Jumping  Crocodiles are infact  more dangerous .  I live on  the  Adelaide  River and have my own opinion,  that crocodiles are only as dangerous as  the people that put themselves at risk, acknowledge them and treat them with respect at all times.

A Very Lucky Escape  Indeed

This is a photograph from our local news paper  only this year, where some fisherman had a very lucky escape.  I hope I have enlightened you all as to our   famous  Adelaide  River  Jumping  Crocodiles , and  you can form your own opinions.  Our  Northern Territory Government  fisheries department can supply all you need to know about our  laws and controls of crocodiles . We  trap around 300 crocodiles annually, in Darwin Harbour alone and relocate  them.

Good Bye now to you all and see you for our next blog post here on Fishermans Blog .

Tight Lines

Allen Sentance
Fisherman