Crocodiles are a normal part of life up here in Northern Queensland and the rivers through the Daintree Rainforest. Fishermen see them off their boats as they cruise down the river, beaches have signs of varying levels of crocodile danger and stories get passed around of people who have been taken by them. My paranoia of sharks in other parts of Australia have been replaced with images of crocodiles as soon as I step foot in the water.
While I’d rather not see one on a stroll along the shoreline I was eager to see some in their natural habitat – from a happy and safe distance. So it was only two days after arriving in Cairns that I found myself up in the Daintree Rainforest on a 2-hour river cruise to see how many crocs we could spot. After a short wait filling ourselves up on tea and biscuits, the boat was ready and a small group of ten of us climbed on board our river boat.
The boat cruised slowly down the river, hugging the shoreline of mangroves as our guides told us stories of the resident crocodiles in these waters. Extremely knowledgeable, our guides knew all of the crocs by name and age and were able to answer any questions we threw at them. Not to mention their keen eye! One of our guides was able to easily point out animals that people struggled to see even when right in front of us, like the green tree frog or a couple of snakes.
It was only a matter of a few short minutes before we ran into the biggest croc inhabiting these rivers. Scarface is the dominant male of the water (for now) and was resting partially in and out of the water, soaking up the sunshine.
Further down the mangroves, we came upon Elizabeth, a female crocodile who had birthed a few of Scarface’s babies.
Cruising down the river was an experience in itself.
Being surrounded by the Daintree Rainforest – one of the oldest in the world – was bliss. With lush green canopies, mysterious mangroves and heightened senses as everyone tried to spot the next crocodile, it honestly felt like we were floating down the Amazon.
And to see crocodiles from as young and small as just a few months old to as enormous and powerful as Scarface was a real treat! All the while with this pup keeping a close eye on the crocs to keep them in check.
