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August 14, 2005

Island of Monsters

DAY: 60
LOCATION: Komodo Island
NAUTICAL MILES TODAY: 12
NAUTICAL MILES TOTAL TRIP: 486
LATITUDE : S 8 degs, 35.76'
LONGITUDE: E 119 degs, 31.15

The Komodo dragon is actually a monitor lizard, which range from a tiny 20g/20cm long to the big daddy of them all - the Komodo dragon.

Komodos dragons can grow up to 4 metres long and weigh in at 100kgs (220+ lbs).Their best weapons are their sharp teeth and dagger-sharp claws, which can inflict severe wounds. They threaten by opening the mouth, inflating the neck and hissing. It often rises up on it's hind legs before attacking and the tail can deliver well-aimed blows that will knock down a weaker adversary. They feed on other animals: deer, wild pig and even water buffalo that inhabit the islands. Although able to outrun deer (or certainly a human!) for short distances they typically lie in wait beside an established game trail. Hidden by their superb camouflage they strike at close range and on large animals inflict one (mortal) bite, then let go. The bacteria in their mouths is so potent that their prey will die within a few days of the infection and the dragon/s get to have their meal, if a little delatedly by that time tender with decomposition. The 'ora' (local name for Komodo dragons) also eat their own dead.

Tonight we camp on Komodo Island having run out of daylight to reach one of the outer lying islands that are, according to the rangers, 'dragon free'. We arrived at 'Loh Liang', the ranger station at around 11 am this morning after a fairly intense passage in strong current around the southern edge of 'Toro Kuning', a headland around which the tide can rip at 7-8 knots. It's a very disconcerting feeling for the boat to be essentially taken from underneath you and torpedoed forward faster than you can paddle it. It's then like being in a river, the main thing is to steer rather than paddle, and keep the stern of the boat from being swept around bringing the boat then parallel to the flow. This would then increase the likelihood of a wave pushing the boat over, rather like a broach in 'Moksha'.

But we made it OK, and tonight we have other dangers to accommodate. Having been given a guided tour by a ranger of several of the dragons and told grisly tales of tourists disappearing on the island when they ventured off the beaten track and a child from the local village having his leg torn off, we're putting more attention into campsite defense tonight. We have our security perimeter alarm system (thanks Sharon!) that should give us early warning of an intrusion, plus 2 x stout sticks at the ready and the loaded speargun (thanks John!).

I suspect it's overkill. The dragons are supposed to quite lethargic at night (being reptiles they rely on the heat of the sun to regulate their body temperature). However, they are attracted to cooking or the smell of food. So we'll no doubt be having a cold supper tonight on dragon Island.

Posted on August 14, 2005 1:27 AM

Comments

Hi Jason and April,

We were just seeing what you are up to! Looks like never a dull moment. Shyanne is very excited to have April for a teacher, (if no Komodos get her!) Corban is with us too, following your progress. Good luck, God Bless, and will have to hear some stories first hand!

The Pagnottas

Posted by: Gunny and Family at August 26, 2005 12:52 AM

Hi Jason and April,

We were just seeing what you are up to! Looks like never a dull moment. Shyanne is very excited to have April for a teacher, (if no Komodos get her!) Corban is with us too, following your progress. Good luck, God Bless, and will have to hear some stories first hand!

The Pagnottas

Posted by: Gunny and Family at August 26, 2005 12:52 AM