Crocodiles stalking beach-goers

A territory teacher and paddle boarder John Miller told his story in todays NT News of how a 2 metre crocodile surfaced close by whilst he and his kayaking mate were 10 metres offshore on Monday.

"we paddled back quickly to shore and when we got up on the sand and looked back it had followed us and come right in to the shallows. Its pretty scary."

Earlier on today crocodile management officers caught 3 crocodiles in traps in Darwin Harbour, including a 2 metre crocodile in a trap in Rapid Creek that had been set yesterday.

Some other crocodile related incidents on beaches.

Darwin, NT. In early 2003 an incident occured where a dog was nearly nibbled. A group of people standing on the Rapid Creek bridge were marveling at the sight of a crocodile in the shallows directly below, when somebody down below, oblivious to the crocodile threw a stick out in the water for his dog to fetch. The shocked observers on the bridge shouted down to warn him but it was then a race between the dog and the crocodile who thought all his xmas's had come at once. Luckily the dog made it back to dry land first, with the stick as well.

Darwin, NT. In the late 1980's a local was taking a training swim outside the NT Surf Life Saving Centre at Casuarina Beach when life guards spotted a large crocodile moving slowly towards him and attempted to warn him. The swimmer was oblivious to the crocodile but luckily he was not attacked.

Cairns, QLD. Last year Max, a ridgeback-cross, had a rather lucky escape from the jaws of a crocodile. The dog was drinking from a freshwater pool at Clifton Beach when...

"I heard this enormous splash... there was a flurry of water and activity and then the dog came flying out and he was bleeding," said the dog's owner Ms. Callaway. "It was just all water and me screaming."

After being patched up by the vet, the dog seems to have gotten over it now.

"It's me that needs a stiff drink," Ms. Callaway said.

Cairns, QLD. last year a lady swimming within the stinger net at Holloway's Beach had a shock of her life when she came face to face with 2-3 metre crocodile resting on the edge of the stinger net. She swam away without incident.

North QLD. A few years ago a local north of Cairns dived into the surf after having what he described as a few too many, got an even bigger shock of his life when he landed on top of a crocodile, it lashed out at him and swam away, probably as shocked as he was.