Worldwide Nile Crocodile
Seeing the croc coming at him, my guide raised his Hawaiian spear in defense. The croc pushed against the spear, pinning my guide to the river bottom. The two of them swung from left to right while my guide clutched tightly to his spear. It looked almost like they were dancing, but they were actually locked in a fierce struggle. I swam toward my guide up current, finning as hard as I could to capture the action up close, when a thought crossed my mind: "Should I continue take pictures? Or should I join my guide to push this croc away? " Before I could decide, the croc backed off and turned away. But not before it reached the surface and opened its jaws wide, for one more fantastic photo opportunity (see image on the right) . See You in the Nile, Crocodile! The best and only time to be in the water with the Nile croc is in June and July — during winter — when the water in the Okavango Delta is clear enough (15-20 feet) and cold enough (55-60°F). When the water is cold, crocs like to sunbathe, so we will first see them on the surface. When they hear or see us arrive, they immediately dive for safety. However, being reptiles, the cold water makes crocs lethargic and slow. Crocs are harmless underwater because their eyesight is poor — they evolved in murky water, never needing good eyesight. Instead, they have great sensors for touch. Since their eyesight is limited they cannot see us getting close. Our guide Brad, is the best in the world at what he does. As a third generation Botswanan, he has been diving with crocs for over eleven years. Comfort on the Delta For this challenging operation, we set home base at the Nxamaseri Island Lodge, nestled at the edge of the main channel off the Okavango Delta. Nxamaseri Lodge is a unique African experience on an island in the permanent waters of Botswana's Okavango Delta. Small and exclusive it is one of the oldest in the delta, with six double in-suite chalets — each secluded by indigenous forest and each with a private deck over looking the water. Teak walkways link the rooms to the main area.
Date: June 5 - 14; July 12 - 20, 2012 Note: Prices above do not include airfare Epic Extentions
Accomodations: Activities: Diving, photography, exploration, hiking, safari Temperature Okavango River: 55 - 60°F or 15 - 17°C, Air: 68 - 84°F or 20 - 28°C
All photos Amos Nachoum. *** Custom Tailor Made Safaris are our specialty, if you do not see a Safari that makes you happy, let us know and we can design the perfect fit for you!*** For more information
Contact: Africa Discovery @ 1-800-886-7321 • phone: (415) 444-5100 • fax: (415) 444-5560 or Request Information |
The croc was about four meters long sliding into the water. We followed it in our boat, and dove in to find it
lying on the gray soil bottom of the river, its large head under a broken tree trunk. I swam to the other side
of the croc and poised myself to take its picture — my guide on the other side. Suddenly, the croc went into
reverse, freeing itself from the broken tree trunk. It was now going full speed head-first toward my guide.
We were only at 5 meters depth and the visibilility was still clear.
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