well something to look out for on the beaches at Eclipse area

[h0ughy]

Giant croc forces Queensland beach closure
Date
October 8, 2012 - 1:28PM

A large crocodile has forced the closure of a far north Queensland beach.

Around 50 people had to be called out of the water when the four-metre saltwater crocodile was spotted swimming within 100 metres of the shore at Ellis Beach, north of Cairns, on Sunday afternoon.

The beach was closed for several hours.

Ellis Beach is just a few kilometres from Kewarra Beach, where a crocodile killed a fisherman's dog in front of horrified onlookers last month.


A three-metre crocodile was found beheaded a few days after the Kewarra Beach attack.

Last week authorities removed a 2.7-metre crocodile from Kewarra Beach.

The state government has said it is developing a plan for crocodile management in the far north.

AAP

:eyepop:

[AstralTraveller]

Adams Dam is croc-free. The only croc I'm expecting to see is my photographs :). There is a threat of feral hippies but they don't eat much.

[h0ughy]

some comforting thoughts http://www.informationcentres.com.au/information/tropical-north-queensland/local-information/safety-information.html

[gaa_ian]

It's a bit scary Houghy, my kids were swimming at Ellis beach only a week ago !

[h0ughy]

were they wearing a croc outfit?;)

if i setup i will sacrifice my manfrotto monopole and Alan to get it away ;):lol:

[erick]

Need a designated "croc watch" person while everyone else is watching the eclipse? :eyepop:

"Moon eats Sun!" "Croc eats observer!!"

[gary]

Thanks for the story h0ughy.

Visitors are also reminded that November is also the start of the Chironex (Box) and
Irukandji jelly fish season and swimmers should only swim inside the patrolled stinger
nets.

[jjjnettie]

Yep yep yep.
If you're going to be camping on the beach the night before the eclipse, it will pay to scan the sand for any Croc tracks.
As Gary said, also be aware of the Box Jelly fish. You can get stung even wading ankle deep.
If you're going bush walking, feral pigs and Cassowaries are also something to keep an ear and eye out for.
Watch out for Stinging Trees too. Damn horrible things they are. Don't scratch or rub the area affected, you will only release more of the toxic substance into the skin.
If you keep a roll of Duct tape, or masking tape with you, you can apply them to the affected area and pull out most of the hairs. The hospitals use depilatory wax to remove them. When I lived on the Cape, I always kept a roll of tape in my bag.
The Wait-a-While isn't noxious at all, just painfully annoying. Once you encounter it, you'll know why it is named that.
I don't mean to sound over dramatic, but having lived on the region, I don't want anyone getting themselves into trouble.

[xstream]

Hey! Don't forget the mozzie's, midge's, etc.

Better still just stay home and enjoy a partial eclipse, makes more room for us poor souls that are prepared to endure all the elements! :thumbsup:

[gaa_ian]

Wow I feel like an adventurer just living in the Far North and the NT. :campfire:
I remember the first time I took my then 7yo son to a surf beach on the Sunshine Coast. He could not believe the waves ! He said "What about the Croc's ?" ...No crocs it's safe
"What about the stingers ?" no, none of them either !
I had trouble getting him out of the water, he was stoked :cool:

Seriously though, the tides are high on the morning of the eclipse and Nettie is right, it pays to be prepared.

[erick]

Thank goodness my wife doesn't read IIS. It took me a while to convince her to come north with me. If she sees this!! :P

[Paul Haese]

5 thousand people squealing on a beach, and knowing crocs I can pretty much guess that the crocs will be heading off for the estuaries for some peace and quite. You guys worry too much.

[jjjnettie]

Shhhh, don't tell them that.

[Danack]

Which is bad news if you were planning to head to an estuary.

Seriously though - are there crocodiles in Queensland inland in the areas near Cairns where the solar eclipse is going to take place?

[jjjnettie]

Seriously, yes there are.
And there are stingers in the water.
And giant flightless birds that will try to rip your bowels out if you approach them.
To quote an article I read last night. "I come from a country where most animals will kill you in under 3 minutes. Our primal language is screaming". Lolol

[Paul Haese]

Stay out of the estuaries and you will be fine. Basic rule of thumb if there are Mangroves about there will be crocs, either small, large or nightmarishly large. In land will be dry and salt water free.

[erick]

And therefore croc-free! That's where I will be.

[xstream]

Just remember salties actually prefer fresh water anyway. :D

[jjjnettie]

It's amazing how far you'll find the beggars upstream.
When I was living in Cairns, I'd only swim at Crystal Cascades.

[jjjnettie]

Here's a little video on Cassowaries. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA58sS3x2Oo&feature=related