Calypso's Mast

Chapter 4 - Claudie River Monster

Schofield and Pringle quietly drifted along the muddy river near the left hand bank.

Schofield sat in the back of the dinghy, softly edging it along with a paddle, being careful not to make too much noise. Pringle sat up near the bow looking ahead.

Neither man spoke and neither made any noise. The only sounds were the water drops from the paddle when Schofield quietly lifted it out of the water after a careful stroke.

It was hot and very humid. Each side, the muddy banks were shaded by trees growing down to the waters edge with a scattering of mangroves that encroached on the river itself, in places. They had been searching since sun up and the heat was intensifying as the day progressed.

"These flies are annoying," hissed Schofield looking down and swiping at them. "These little house flies land on my lower leg near the ankle. Why do they do that? Why the ankle? The little buggers are really fast."

Pringle didn't answer. He was looking intently at the opposite bank ahead of them and a few seconds later, he held up his hand. Schofield recognised the signal and stopped paddling.

There was a long minute, then Pringle slowly turned and without saying a word, pointed two fingers of one hand at his eyes and then carefully pointed ahead of them. He could see the crocodile. Schofield strained to see past him. This could be good. They had been looking for this little fellow for three days.

The momentum slowly carried the boat upstream. The tide was running in and that helped as well.

Pringle gasped and turned wide eyed, pointing ahead of him.

Up there, on a sandbank in the middle of the Claudie River was the biggest crocodile Schofield had ever seen in his twenty three years of ranger work.

He sucked in a breath and whispered, "He'd be at least ten metres long. He's a monster! Look at him. He's gigantic!"

"I think he's too big for the trap," murmured Schofield. "We're going to have to make a new trap."

Neither of them moved, observing it intently as the current  and their slow momentum carried them steadily toward the huge beast sunning itself on the sand spit. The river widened at this point and slowed down. It was deep here.

Schofield checked the depth sounder beside him in the stern of the boat..

"Mick, it's eight metres deep. This is where he lives," he whispered, pointing down.

At that moment the huge reptile moved.

"There he goes. He's going for water!" breathed Pringle.

It was lightning-quick. In a few seconds it had covered the short distance to the water and plunged in to disappear under the muddy surface. After a few seconds, there was barely a ripple to indicate its passage.

Schofield nodded. "Time to go, Mick. He's much bigger than us. He's ten metres and we are only three metres in this boat. We will end up in the water if he wants to eat."

He pressed a button and tapped the screen of the GPS to mark their location and then started the engine, swung the boat around and headed back down the river, toward the mouth.

After about twenty minutes at planing speed, they reached the boat ramp near the mouth of the river. Once the motor was at idle, they nosed toward the ramp and could finally hear each other speak. Pringle took out a notepad.

"The new trap has to be at least 12 metres long. That's going to cost the boss. He's not going to like that," he said as he jotted down figures.

"Yes," replied Schofield. "But he's got no choice. This is the lizard that's been killing the cattle. It's not long before he kills a man."