A 76-year-old woman has been described as an inspiration to grey nomads because of her resourcefulness and composure after spending a terrifying night perched in mangroves above crocodile-infested waters in the Kimberley.
Sen. Sgt Chris Fox from Bidyadanga police said the South Australian kept her cool after losing her bearings on Saturday afternoon when she was collecting shells at Port Smith lagoon, about 100km south-west of Broome. He told the West Australian newspaper that she mistook a sandbar for the beach and had to swim towards the mangroves as the tide rushed in, with her two Jack Russells swimming in front of her.
A 2.5m crocodile was spotted in the same area earlier last week.
The woman was staying at the local caravan park with her partner.
According to a report in the West Australian, the woman told police her usually ‘yappy’ dogs did not bark once during the ordeal. She climbed into the mangroves and above the water line where she spent most of the night holding her pets. The tide went out about 2.30am but the woman could not find her way to safety so she returned to the mangroves.
She wrapped dog litter bags around her arms to protect her from sandflies and around her neck to keep her warm on a 12C night. She ate lollies to manage her diabetes.
A full-scale search was launched and the woman was found ‘right in the bowels of the lagoon system’. She was taken to Bidyadanga clinic for a check-up but she appeared unhurt apart from cuts to her arms and feet.
Sen. Sgt Fox said he was impressed with the woman’s survival skills.
“Speaking to her back in the police station she said the dogs stopped her from panicking because she had to keep her dogs safe,” he said. “She did think she was going to meet her maker last night but she kept her head … and she was able to make some good decisions that kept her alive.”
