Day Sixty Five - September 9th, 2013
Kakadu National Park
We had a little lie in today (I was up at 7.15 because of the stifling hot tent) and walked to the bakery to buy apple buns for brekkie. Once in the car we drove out to East Alligator River, named for the large number of 'alligators' swimming within, which actually turned out to be crocs.
We set off for a long walk, with rock art to line our way and some pretty dried it billabongs. As it was the hottest part of the day by now, we were all getting very warm and decided to head back after an hour instead of completing the 7km walk. We knew we would see the river later on in the day and thought it would be the sensible option to return to some shade.
We had our lunch down by the river, and saw a ridiculous number of saltys cruising their way down with the current. The barramundi are abundant here, and there were fishermen lining the banks and even sanding on the shallow river crossing a little further down - right in the path of the crocs headed for the barra. After lunch we walked over to the crossing which marks the dividing point between Kakadu and Arnhem Land. We spent the afternoon watching the crocs surfing over the crossing in the tide, and lining up to catch the fish. They put up a claw or two in order to feel the vibrations of the fish to determine how big they are and where they are in the water before swatting it into their mouths. It's the only time I've seen a croc look comical!
We then set off for our cruise, which only had 2 other guests on it along with our indigenous guide, Roman. We glided down East Alligator seeing an abundant population of crocs (there are 5000 in the river alone!) and learning about the aboriginal culture: how they hunt, the spirit guides, what they can eat or use for tools, and what the six seasons up here can bring them. We even had the chance to land and get out onto Arnhem Land - a once in a lifetime opportunity. We climbed the rock where the lightning spirit lived, and were told how it influences the people who live here. We saw rock art in the 'living rooms' we passed (caves and sheltered rocks) and heard about how noisy the places get when they are occupied! The river is also home to sharks, but luckily we didn't see any! We more than made up for it with crocs, we must have seen 30-40 of the 'terrible lizards' - the Greek meaning behind dinosaur.
We were able to hold some of the tools used by the indigenous people and pass around the water hibiscus which has many uses. We learnt so much about their culture which is fascinating - a fab afternoon!
We rounded off our day with more rock art and a climb to see the sunset. A 360 degree view of the wetlands below, green and lush, gave a new perspective to Kakadu. We listened to the ranger who told us about the seasons, and how crocs get stranded in the dry, sometimes 12-15 in nothing more than a muddy puddle waiting for the rains to come!
Dinner back at the big croc hotel and off to bed. Last full day in Kakadu tomorrow - I'm sure it will be as special as the past 3 have been.