A visit to Kakadu National Park is not complete without a Yellow Waters Sunrise Cruise.
Kakadu National Park is the largest National Park in Australia and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as it preserves the greatest variety of ecosystems on the continent. To experience a snippet of this, you should join the Yellow Waters Cruise which leaves from the Cooinda Lodge. I highly recommend doing it at sunrise.
The highlight for me will always be seeing the ancient crocodiles in their natural habitat and if I was guiding myself, that is probably all I would notice. That's the beauty of taking this tour.
Our guide on this occasion was Dennis. He delivered a humourous, yet informative talk about the water systems we cruised along over the two hour tour.
Dennis pointed out the various birds which flapped around us or rested along the water's banks. He told us about the fresh water mangroves, Pandanas and itching trees. He educated us on the fish that swam below us; even Barramundi, Barra-tuesdi, Barra-wedneday...
Dennis also shared with us his indigenous culture and his experience with the land. The destruction that feral animals and plants were doing the the Kakadu ecosystems and his previous experiences as a Ranger combating these pests threatening the region. It was a good reminder that we humans need to keep repairing the mistakes of the past and fighting our focus on economic prosperity at the expense of the planet that sustains us, and everything else on it.
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