A routine day in tropical paradise turned chilling when a massive saltwater crocodile was filmed cruising directly through the lineup at Lance’s Right (HT’s), one of the world’s most iconic and revered surf breaks in Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands.
The unnerving drone footage was captured by legendary surf explorer and charter boat captain Martin Daly, showing the apex predator effortlessly gliding across the crystal-clear reef pass where surfers regularly chase hollow barrels.
See the footage, linked here, and below:
Sharing the clips on Instagram, Daly captioned the surreal sighting: “Rumours of crocs at one of my most favourite waves that I’ve been surfing for over 40 years are rumours no longer.”
In a follow-up post, Daly cautioned, “Surfing with apex predators is not optimal, they have left us alone up until now but…” It is far from Daly’s first encounter in the archipelago.
As reported by SURFER Magazine, Daly has repeatedly documented 10-foot crocodiles in Mentawai lineups, remarking, “I guess they have always been around but now we have drones!”
Saltwater crocodiles are Earth’s largest living reptiles, capable of growing over 17 to 20 feet in length and weighing more than 2,000 pounds. While commonly inhabiting coastal mangrove swamps and brackish estuaries throughout Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and northern Australia, they are exceptional ocean swimmers that frequently travel far out to sea.
Unlike sharks, which rarely attack humans, saltwater crocodiles are hyper-aggressive, opportunistic predators responsible for an estimated 1,000 fatal human attacks globally each year.
Related: Crocodile Sends Surfers Scrambling from Sri Lanka Lineup in Wild Video (Watch)
The lurking presence of massive reptiles in surf zones gives even the sport’s elite serious pause.
When once asked whether he would rather share the water with sharks or crocodiles, 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater chose sharks “100 percent,” admitting that “crocs are far more dangerous” because they are actively hunting.
With crocs becoming an increasingly visible fixture around Mentawai reef passes, traveling surfers waiting for the next set might want to keep their toes well out of the water.
Just in case.
Related: Giant Crocodile Spotted at One of the World’s Best Surf Breaks (Video)
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