Read Online The Crocodile Hunter: The Incredible Life and Adventures of Steve and Terri Irwin by Steve Irwin, Terri Irwin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Steve Irwin, Terri Irwin
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place to get a raging infection and I thought it better to soak my wounds and patch them up before I checked the traps. Tedious and time-consuming as it was, I took the time to dress my wounds properly. The whole time I was swearing and cursing as I knew the tide was coming in and the sun would be up in minutes.
Happy with my first aid, I wasted no time getting my boat in the water and speeding off to check the traps. As I sped around the S-bend I could see the trap site but no lead-in bait.
Excellent. Last night the croc had taken the lead-in, so things were looking good for a capture. Once a croc takes a lead-in, it’s only a matter of time before it will enter the trap for the big piece of bait.
Over the next five nights, this crocodile ate the lead-in baits every night. On the sixth night I decided to leave a huge piece of fresh meat in the trap, with no more lead-ins.
The next morning, just on daylight as I rounded the S-bend and spotted the trap site, I noticed the weight bag had dropped. The trap had gone off! A little puzzled as to what had happened, I slowly headed toward the trap. It was totally submerged beneath the muddy, tea-colored water on a full moon high tide.
“What the hell’s going on here?” I asked Chilli.
She just stared at me, loving the attention.
Thinking to myself that I’d have to come back at low tide to reset the trap, I cut the outboard and began to lean over and feel for the trap mesh. As I did, a jet of water spat up at me like a whale’s blowhole.
“Holy heck! I’ve got one!”
The water erupted into a whirlpool of murk and turbulence. Think quick, Stevo, what are ya gonna do?
With both croc and trap totally invisible beneath the water, I strained my brain for a decisive approach.
Tenderly I felt for the mesh of the trap with an oar. Gently I eased some mesh to the surface, then grabbed it with both hands. I was easily able to secure some mesh around the bow hook, as if there was nothing in the trap.
Then all hell broke loose.
The trapped croc plowed its head into my boat with such force it knocked me back to the floor with my dog. Back on my knees I shouted at Chilli to stay down.
Quiet again, I grabbed more mesh and hooked it over the bow. Again there was an almighty thump as the angry croc took to my boat.
I gained some more mesh. Before long the huge triangular scoots of the croc’s tail were visible. I hooked more mesh. As I grabbed for even more, the croc launched up out of the water and smashed its head and teeth into my boat. Chilli was shaking uncontrollably.
“Stay down, sweetheart, stay down,” I commanded.
With an almighty heave I now had the croc’s tail over the bow. This really made him angry and in a massive lunge the crocodile, pivoting off its tail, launched straight at me. I grabbed Chilli under my arm and jumped into the water as the ballistic croc attacked with such force, he landed straight in the boat.
“Holy snappin’ duck poo!” I gurgled in the armpit-high water.
Chilli quickly swam to the mangroves as I sliced at the ropes from the weight bag. Bang! The croc drove its gnarled, steel-like head into the side of the boat, denting it like a Coke can.
Trapping crocs Irwin-style: It can be muddy work.
Throwing the ropes over the entangled croc and boat, I sucked in a breath and dived under the boat. Within seconds I threw the rope over again and again, each time diving under the boat to entwine the croc and boat completely with ropes. Not happy with that, I drew my knife and hacked off big, bushy mangrove branches and threw them on top of the now almost-subdued crocodile. Gingerly, I leaned over the bow and pulled out some hessian bags, which I accurately tossed on top of the croc’s head as a temporary blindfold. His huge teeth bit deep into the bags in response. Perfect, I thought, he’s almost blindfolded himself.
Without wasting a second, I pulled the boat up to the mangroves, threw in a reluctant Chilli, and fired up the
Happy with my first aid, I wasted no time getting my boat in the water and speeding off to check the traps. As I sped around the S-bend I could see the trap site but no lead-in bait.
Excellent. Last night the croc had taken the lead-in, so things were looking good for a capture. Once a croc takes a lead-in, it’s only a matter of time before it will enter the trap for the big piece of bait.
Over the next five nights, this crocodile ate the lead-in baits every night. On the sixth night I decided to leave a huge piece of fresh meat in the trap, with no more lead-ins.
The next morning, just on daylight as I rounded the S-bend and spotted the trap site, I noticed the weight bag had dropped. The trap had gone off! A little puzzled as to what had happened, I slowly headed toward the trap. It was totally submerged beneath the muddy, tea-colored water on a full moon high tide.
“What the hell’s going on here?” I asked Chilli.
She just stared at me, loving the attention.
Thinking to myself that I’d have to come back at low tide to reset the trap, I cut the outboard and began to lean over and feel for the trap mesh. As I did, a jet of water spat up at me like a whale’s blowhole.
“Holy heck! I’ve got one!”
The water erupted into a whirlpool of murk and turbulence. Think quick, Stevo, what are ya gonna do?
With both croc and trap totally invisible beneath the water, I strained my brain for a decisive approach.
Tenderly I felt for the mesh of the trap with an oar. Gently I eased some mesh to the surface, then grabbed it with both hands. I was easily able to secure some mesh around the bow hook, as if there was nothing in the trap.
Then all hell broke loose.
The trapped croc plowed its head into my boat with such force it knocked me back to the floor with my dog. Back on my knees I shouted at Chilli to stay down.
Quiet again, I grabbed more mesh and hooked it over the bow. Again there was an almighty thump as the angry croc took to my boat.
I gained some more mesh. Before long the huge triangular scoots of the croc’s tail were visible. I hooked more mesh. As I grabbed for even more, the croc launched up out of the water and smashed its head and teeth into my boat. Chilli was shaking uncontrollably.
“Stay down, sweetheart, stay down,” I commanded.
With an almighty heave I now had the croc’s tail over the bow. This really made him angry and in a massive lunge the crocodile, pivoting off its tail, launched straight at me. I grabbed Chilli under my arm and jumped into the water as the ballistic croc attacked with such force, he landed straight in the boat.
“Holy snappin’ duck poo!” I gurgled in the armpit-high water.
Chilli quickly swam to the mangroves as I sliced at the ropes from the weight bag. Bang! The croc drove its gnarled, steel-like head into the side of the boat, denting it like a Coke can.
Trapping crocs Irwin-style: It can be muddy work.
Throwing the ropes over the entangled croc and boat, I sucked in a breath and dived under the boat. Within seconds I threw the rope over again and again, each time diving under the boat to entwine the croc and boat completely with ropes. Not happy with that, I drew my knife and hacked off big, bushy mangrove branches and threw them on top of the now almost-subdued crocodile. Gingerly, I leaned over the bow and pulled out some hessian bags, which I accurately tossed on top of the croc’s head as a temporary blindfold. His huge teeth bit deep into the bags in response. Perfect, I thought, he’s almost blindfolded himself.
Without wasting a second, I pulled the boat up to the mangroves, threw in a reluctant Chilli, and fired up the
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