Crocodiles in So. Africa

 

About ten days ago they held the Zimbabwe national champs at Lake

Kariba. Rob Gates, an ex-Zim tried to persuade me to go up and dive

it, but because my partner Rob (Allen) was away I could not make it.

Anyway he managed to get a couple of guys together and they drove up

from Johannesburg.

 

On the second day of the comp he was diving off an island in

shallow water. He had shot a few "mozzies" (Tilapia Mozambica?) and

was just landing one when he felt something grab his ankle.

 

He turned to find himself face to face with a 10 ft. or 11 ft.

croc that had him. The length of his fins had caused it to

miscalculate its attack and the main "bite" was over the blade of the

fin with its front teeth about 4" up his ankle. Luckily his knife was

clear and he dragged it out of the sheath without even releasing the

rubber keep ring. He first tried to stab it in the head but this was

like trying to stab bricks. Eventually he hit its eye and it flinched

a bit.

 

Changing tactics he then stabbed it in the underside of its throat

which had more effect. After hacking at it for a while it eventually

opened its mouth and he dragged his foot out. His knife was still in

its throat, but as soon as he pulled it out the croc grabbed his left

wrist. Rob said that was when he really started to panic. He again

stabbed it repeatedly in the throat and ripped at it. This caused the

croc to gulp and then release him. With that the boat came up to him

and he was able to get out the water.

 

He bandaged the holes it had made in him and drove around the

point to where his team mates were diving. They inspected the damage

and as he put it said "Jeez you better go and get that seen to", then

got back in the water and carried on diving the comp.

 

He ended up with about 15 stitches, which was really getting off

lightly considering the size of the beast. Think what a shark that

size would have done. He reckons next year he wants to recruit a

bigger foreign squad for the champs "to cut down the odds". Any takers?

 

Apparently it was really unusual to have an attack at that island,

but they blame it on the commercial houseboats that operate the area.

The crew feed the crocs to make a show for the tourists and this has

made them lose their fear of humans. They are really sly and if they

are unsure of a situation don't get involved in anything. The last

attack during a comp that I recall was in 1974 or 75, again an

imported South African diver Kobus "Krokodil" as he has been called

ever since. Over the years subsistence spearos have been taken, but

they dive off the mainland which is much more dangerous.

 

There is now an oversupply of crocs in Kariba because of an error

made by conservationists years ago. When commercial croc farmers got

permits to collect eggs for stock they were given a quota of hatched

crocs to release at a certain age. The quota was incorrectly

calculated and for years they have released many more young crocs than

would naturally have survived.

 

Jeremy Williams