Lucky dip as tourist escapes a predator

A YOUNG American visitor to Cape Tribulation had an encounter with a crocodile last week he will never forget.

Nick Claton, 20, (below) had been kayaking with a friend midmorning when, back at the beach, they strolled along to a creek about 300m north of PK’s Jungle Village.

He crossed the creek, which was ankle deep, before a heavy deluge left him stranded on the northern side.

He waited for an hour for it to subside before giving up.

“I wasn’t going to go hiking through the bush in the downpour looking for the trail so I knew I had to cross the creek,” Mr Claton said. “I decided OK, to get back across it – I’m going to make this as quick as possible. So I got into the water and right at the start it was like, up to my knees, and then it dropped off and then it was neck height.

“I didn’t expect that and it scared the crap out of me.

“So I just started swimming really, really quickly.

“I knew there was a croc that lives in this creek, this is not a good time to be doing this.

“I got to the other side and turned around and about 4m from the river bank there was this crocodile, about 3m long, just staring at me.

“I backed slowly away from the water and left. I was just glad it didn’t eat me.

“It was scary. It was mostly that I didn’t know – to have it get that close and be right there … they’re silent killers.

“It was terrifying – absolutely terrifying. It taught me a lesson.”