Waring's wife, Diane, added, "It's only a small croc and it isn't always there." Confidence bolstered, I decided that I was up to this scuba diving encounter. Perhaps, foolishly, five of us felt that there was "safety in numbers." Those steel tanks on our backs made us feel invincible.
The five intrepid ones included dive master Waring; James Forte, a professional underwater photographer; Zim Gervais, a videographer; Karen Haugen, a nurse; and myself. Haugen and I brought up the rear, figuring in case of an evacuation, it was "last in, first out."
Following in single file, we threaded the twisting passage at a depth of 30 feet, carefully avoiding the stinging fire coral growing on the wall. As we approached the entrance to the underwater cave, the passage wall narrowed while still leaving an open slot extending to the surface of the ocean. The opening provided sunlight and water clarity as we navigated the passageway.
At the end of the passage, the cave widened to about 30 feet in diameter. The ceiling of the cave extended above the surface of the water. Mangrove roots gripped the coral around the edges of the pond. Branches of felled trees cluttered the water, providing lots of "hiding places" for the crocodile.
Waring immediately sighted the crocodile resting on a ledge. Signaling for our attention, I looked up to see a six-foot man-eating crocodile plunge into the water, swim across the surface of the cave, then climb onto another ledge.
When I surfaced for a better view, the crocodile lunged back into the pond. Adrenaline pumping, hearts pounding, the five of us spontaneously backpedaled out of the cave, retracing our path through the passage.
