We rose before dawn in Cooinda, Kakadu to start our Yellow Water Cruise this morning. A couple of hundred people had booked the same cruise so it was rather different to our two-person tour yesterday.
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| We were bussed a few hundred metres to the jetty for the cruise boats. |
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| Setting out, about four boats carrying 50 people each. |
The Yellow Water is a billabong adjoining the South Alligator River, which means it is a sidewater rather than part of the main river. The South Alligator river is 160 km long and lies completely within Kakadu. It was given its name by the original surveyor who had experience of alligators in America and did not realise that this river is full of crocodiles, not alligators. Once it was mis-named the name stuck.
It was a beautiful morning, warm and clear like just about every morning so far. Insect repellent kept the mozzies at bay, so they did not trouble us. The water was flat and calm and there was no wind, so it was very pleasant being out in the boat in the early morning.
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| Pre-dawn over the Yellow Water. |
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| A sea-eagle in the tree on the right, watching the sun rise. |
Our guide explained the remarkable annual cycle of this area. During the wet season the whole area floods, over thousands of square kilometers, and the waterfalls off the escarpment turn into huge torrents as the plateau drains onto the lowlands. The huge areas of Buffalo Grass we saw around us actually float on top of the water, so they rise and fall with the floods which means the whole area looks very similar through all seasons, except that in the wet the trees look shorter! However many roads and tracks become impassable for that part of the year. It must take a staggering amount of water to flood such a large area, sometimes to three meters above this level.
Our guide told us a lot about the flora and fauna as we cruised up the Yellow Water, and out into the South Alligator River. Everyone wants to see crocodiles, so he was very pleased when a large fellow (below) came cruising down the river. This would be the dominant male crocodile for this stretch of water, and at about 4.5 metres long he is the largest in the area. Our guide quietly motored backwards to keep us close to the croc, who did not seem perturbed by our presence. The guide said that crocodiles were almost wiped out before they became protected in 1971, so it will be a few more decades before there are any super-large (seven metre) crocodiles to be seen.
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| Our big male crocodile eyeing us from close to the boat. |
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| We were warned to keep ourselves inside the boat, to stay out of reach of jumping crocodiles. |
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| A sea eagle landing on her favourite branch. |
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| Lotus lily leaves growing in the buffalo grass turn to follow the sun. |
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| Possibly a magpie goose... |
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| A crocodile lurks patiently (centre) while the birds wander nearer. |
The photo above shows little Jacana birds which everyone enjoyed watching. The shape in the water behind them is a female crocodile sitting motionless, waiting for something edible to come near. These birds seem to run around on the surface of the water, earning the nickname "Jesus birds", while actually walking on floating weeds and lilies. Those above are large chicks but we also saw very small ones running around under the watchful eye of their father. If any threat is detected he quickly calls them together, tucks two under each wing, picks them up and runs off with them with legs dangling!
We found the cruise very interesting and enjoyable, and saw a lot more wildlife than during our travels further south the day before. To top it off breakfast at Cooinda Lodge was included, so we left very happy with our morning outing.
