Big crocs eat boats. Crocs eat boats? No, they don’t eat boats. But they might eat the people in the boats.
Crocs have been known to take bites out of boats or propellers. This is getting a bit close, don’t you think? I mean people are in boats and could be the meat in the hamburger, right?
This boat biting thing has been going on a while.
BIG CROCS EAT BOATS – EXAMPLE ONE.
Sweetheart, a large male Saltwater (Estuarine) Crocodile, was well known to bite boats in the waters of Finiss River, N.T. we are mainly talking Sweets Lookout billabong, a waterway located 55km south-west of Darwin.
Back in the 1970s, Sweetheart became notorious for his attacks on small boats (dinghies) at a popular Darwin fishing spot. In Col Stringer’s book, my brother Kel is listed as one of the “near-victims” He knows a bit about this story.
Throughout his various attacks on boats Sweetheart tipped occupants into the water on at least two occasions. Luckily, no one was hurt.
BIG CROCS AND WORSE.
Things got worse still, when in 1979 the incidence of attacks took a turn towards a higher frequency of incidents. Somehow this raised safety concerns. Amazing! Consequently, the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory decided to capture Sweetheart. The plan was to relocate Sweetheart to a local crocodile farm.
Sweetheart was caught in a trap 19th of July 1979 and anaesthetised.
In the attempt to haul the big crocodile onto the bank, Sweetheart became entangled with a sunken log. He drowned.
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory taxidermist prepared Sweetheart as a skin mount and also a skeleton, which is held in the museum’s collection.
Sweetheart was a large mature male, but not the largest crocodile known. Estuarine (or Saltwater) crocodile. Specimens exceed 6m in length. They are long-lived animals and it is estimated that Sweetheart was probably over 50 years old.
Many rumours and exaggerations have flavoured the story of Sweetheart but the facts are that sweetheart weighed in at 780 kg. He was 5.1 m in length and his snout length was 2.4 m.
SOURCE: SWEETHEART (MAGNT.NET.AU)
These boats were mostly dinghies or tinnies as called up north. They tend to be no more than 3-4 metres in length.
Now we have bigger boats being attacked. Big crocs eating bits of boats, bits of propellers, and bits of people.
Sometimes whole bits.
Look at this.
BIG CROCS EAT BOATS – EXAMPLE TWO.
A big croc attacks a big boat.
“Kathryn Dyball and her fiancé Cameron Bates were fishing off their 4.6m long vessel near Koolan Island, in the Northern Territory, in March.
Koolan Island is in W.A. You will find it north-east of Broome.
Ms Dyball said the pair noticed something suspicious lurking in the water nearby.”
For whatever reason this big croc leaps up of the water and butts its head against the phone.
It holds onto the gunwales for a few seconds and then falls back into the water. The shocked boaters speed away, leaving the crocodile behind.
No-one is hurt, but………..
This is not the only other incidence of croc eats boat.
BIG CROCS EAT BOATS – EXAMPLE THREE.
Man has toes partially amputated after crocodile attack near Darwin.
This story is told by Samantha Dick, who posted Wed 18 Aug 2021 .
BIG CROCS EAT BOATS – EXAMPLE FOUR.
The abovementioned incident comes three months after a crocodile measuring up to 5 metres long launched into a boat carrying four people fishing at the South Alligator River in Kakadu National Park. That attack left a 32-year-old New South Wales man with minor injuries.
Croc eats boat? It is getting worse.
You can read more about attacks LINK Crocodile attacks Australia
Be careful in your boating activities. You never, never, know, if you never, never GO.
GULP! GONE…………………