CNN had a story about a Dr working in Botswana who was in a lead dug out canoe, and a croc jumped up and ate him. On Limpopo river in NE Botswana.
Any idea how far that is from the Safari camps in Chobe and does the same risk exist for the Morroco canoes thay show in the bulletins? they pole the morrocos so a croc could probably jump in (if there are any crocs there)

see link http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/03/21/croc.attack.ap/index.html

Edward--I saw that story. What a horrible story, as the guy was there to try to help fight AIDS in Botswana. I believe that the event took place close to Gabarone, which is a bit of a ways from Chobe. When we went for the mekoro ride, there didn't appear to be any crocs in that immediate area. Lots of hippo in the water, which actually are pretty dangerous animals, but the guides know where the hippos are most of the time, as they don't really move about much, and they are generally in groups. Personally, I didn't like my mekoro ride anyway, as I was hyperventilating about the little tippy canoe tipping over and dumping my expensive camera in the drink. Everyone describes mekoro rides as being so peaceful, etc., but I pretty much hated it. I am not scared of water in general, but had never been in a canoe before and did not like the 'vibe' of being in that tippy little canoe.

Oh, and not that it would be much of a consolation, but I think I remember that the guides were poling at the front of the canoe, usually?? If so, the croc would get the guide first. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Blush.gif" alt="" />

Hey, edward, are you going soon?? You have to post a trip report!

The morroco pole canoes are generally in the water camps. The areas that they do the poling at are in the tall grassy areas generally. Not that crocs are not there, but did not ever see any the time we did it. We did see them other times at some of the other camps and when on the land portion.

I would think that a poler person would not try to take a passenger near one in general. Also the area that we poled in, was not what I would think would be the typical type of a place for a croc to hang out at anyway.

Tragic but a very rare event. Similar to barracudas coming out of the water to get a womans earrings. It happens but rarely.

A question to ask is if the amount of boats and people and certain other enviormental concerns (exposure to people, dangerous feeding practices, available food) contributed.

Hippos are a far more common and a very real danger.

~Stiv

You are right about hippos. Our guides were always watching hippos, said that more people got killed by hippos than lions or any of the other wildlife in africa. Most people would not even think that to be the case at all.

Eric,
I've been in some pretty dicey situations with guides (Armed and unarmed) and I've never seen guides more nervouse than when we were on Lake Tana Ethiopia and asked them "Let's go see some hippos!" and we were in a failry sizeable boat (Only slightly larger then the hippos)and those puppies did not like us coming close as the group had a baby that was kind of scared of us. We were about 30 yards away. The bulls would raise thier heads out of the water and roar at us.

The guides (and us) got really wigged out when we started seeing these big black shadows criss crossing underneath our boat, just waiting for some giant head to pop up out right next to us or for them to start bumping the boat. We got out of there quick.

They pulled out thier bag of qat and all had a chew to calm down.

Best,
Stiv

Yes our guides were always very careful around hippos. There was only one exception during our trip and the guide could not believe it.

We saw a small (baby) hippo on the ground, by the road path. It was not moving, mother was not to be seen, etc. Guide from binoculars, etc figure it was injured or dead. So we drove up to it. Litterally inches away.

The baby was "snoring". Sound asleep!!! Finally woke up and tundled off into the water very causually -- then we saw the mother -- was just watching is all. Never even got excited or anything. Now that was amazing.