BAE Crocodiles PDF and Form 3_1_2016

BigAnimals Expeditions | nilE crocodilEs July 6-13 / 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 / 16-22, 2017
Diving with nile CroCoDiles
in Botswana
We are inextricably drawn to predators. We know how dangerous they are, but we want
more than anything to get close to them. This is your chance to be in the water with an apex
predator capable of taking down animals far larger and stronger than humans.
BigAnimals.com | [email protected] | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950 | Phone 831.241.6657 | © Amos nAchoum PhoToGrAPhy
BigAnimals Expeditions | nilE crocodilEs July 6-13 / 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 / 16-22, 2017
While river cruising between dives, the
surface temperature can be cold, ranging
from 50-80F (10-27c). Bring a windbreaker
or water/wind proof coat to wear over your
clothes or wetsuit. When dry, wear a fleece
or long-sleeved sweatshirt with a wool cap
during early morning on the boat and
around the evening campfire. clothing at
the safari camp is always casual. mornings
and evenings are cold, so dress in layers to
keep warm.
The nile crocodile
(crocodylus niloticus)
“
nature at its Best. listen to Your heart Pound.
Photographic
recommendations
The best underwater lens for photographing crocodiles is the 16-35mm
canon or 14–24mm nikon, dslr full
frame for both camera systems. surface
lenses will vary from 70–200mm up to
300mm. in the water, strobes and video
lights are recommended at all times. you
will be close enough to allow the light to
reflect back from the crocodile’s bright eyes
and its menacing row of pure white teeth.
There will also be opportunities to
photograph the crocs resting on the
riverbank before they race into the water
to avoid us. We will also set up fish eagle
hunting ops. in addition, there are often
families of hippos that can be seen
playing or sleeping in the water,
standing on small beaches in the thick
papyrus vegetation, or hanging on small
river beaches.
Accommodations
A mobile safari camp will be our
home base for the week. Each guest will
have their own private tent furnished
with a bed complete with a comfortable
mattress, pillows, fresh linens, and wool
blankets. Attached to each tent is a
shower and a seat toilet. our dedicated
safari crew will make sure warm water is
available in your tent every morning for
washing up, and each evening after we
return from diving.
”
our safari camp will have a generator
that can be used to run refrigerators and
lights and will also allow us to charge our
computers and batteries.
A separate tent will be set up as a charging
station for all our gear. There will also be
one large dining tent that opens up to a
gorgeous view of the river. Please remember
that we are in an extremely remote area,
and a satellite phone will be the only way
to stay in touch with the outside world
should you need to do so. Anything that
you might need and/or want during your
time in the safari camp must be brought
with you, because the nearest shopping
center is about 500 miles away.
What to Bring
The water temperature averages 55 to
62 F (13 to 17c) requiring a 5 to 7mm wetsuit
with a hood and gloves or a semi-dry suit.
Being warm in the water allows complete
focus on all the action.
This expedition is in remote Botswana,
Africa, a country where there is no dive
shop to replace broken gear. All diving
equipment should be serviced prior to
departure to be in good operational condition.
This includes your regulator, Bcd, mask and
fins, all serviced with new straps. Bring a
strong, reliable submersible underwater
light. The river is never deeper than 30 feet
(10 m) so a dive computer is not necessary.
Additional gear includes sun block, hats,
polarized sunglasses, and soft dry waterproof bags for cameras and other valuables.
The African crocodile is second in size
only to the saltwater crocodile as the
largest living reptile in the world. Widespread throughout sub-saharan Africa,
they inhabit lakes, rivers and marshlands,
like those covering most of the country of
Botswana. The average size of the nile
crocodile is 13 feet (4.1 m), and at this
length they weigh around 900 pounds
(410 kg). They have thick scaly skin that is
heavily armored. They have extremely
strong tails, incredibly powerful jaws, and
like great white sharks, they also have
nictitating membranes to protect their
eyes and cleanse them with tears. The
nostrils, eyes, and ears are situated on the
top of the head, so the rest of the body
can remain concealed underwater.
An opportunistic apex predator, this
aggressive species is capable of taking
down almost any animal. While their diet
consists primarily of different species of
fish, reptiles, birds and mammals, the
green-eyed nile crocodile will attack any
type of prey. An agile, ambush predator,
they can wait hours, days and or weeks
for the suitable attack moment. They have
an extremely powerful bite with sharp
conical teeth providing a grip almost
impossible to loosen. They apply force for
extended periods holding prey underwater
to drown.
BigAnimals.com | [email protected] | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950 | Phone 831.241.6657 | © Amos nAchoum PhoToGrAPhy
BigAnimals Expeditions | nilE crocodilEs July 6-13 / 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 / 16-22, 2017
the experience
The African crocodile (crocodylus
niloticus) is one of the largest living reptiles
in the world and the biggest adult on
record measures 20 feet in length and
weighs 2,000 pounds. We could easily fill
entire pages discussing the amazing facts
and characteristics that define these huge,
cold-blooded animals, but the simple fact
remains that we are inextricably drawn to
predators. We know how dangerous they
are, but we want more than anything to
get close to them. This Big Animals expedition is your chance to be in the water
with an apex predator capable of taking
down animals far larger and stronger
than humans, yet being able to calmly
interact with them and capture images
that illustrate them in a different light.
nile crocodiles like to bask in the sun
along riverbanks in the okavango delta.
during June and July (Botswana’s winter),
the water is a chilly 55-62° F, and underwater visibility is about twenty feet. These
huge reptiles spend many hours every
day soaking up the heat from th sun’s rays,
but the moment a crocodile spots our boat,
they dive seeking security in the water.
cold water makes them lethargic and slow,
and their poor underwater vision provides
us with a great opportunity to photograph
these heavily armored crocodilians with
most powerful jaws bite, greater of the
Great White shark.
Taking advantage of the crocodile’s habits,
our days on the delta begin between 9-10 am
so that we can view basking crocodiles.
The moment the croc seeks refuge under
water, we stop our boat approximately
100 yards away. Quickly donning scuba
tanks over the 5 to 7mm wetsuits, we enter
the water.
our descent is direct; we do not want
to remain on the water’s surface, known as
the croc’s “kill zone.” The reptile is attracted
to subjects on the water’s surface, especially those that are silhouetted against
the sun, so it is imperative that we descend
quickly and spend as little time on the
surface as possible so as not to look like a
potential meal.
closely shadowing the expedition leader
at the river bottom and followed by a safety
diver with light and camera in hand, we drift
down current near the bank searching for
camouflaged crocs resting as they hide in
debris and weeds.
The current is often very strong and just
like the crocodile does, we drift with the current
and do not fight against it. We might need to
dig into the sand bed with a hand or brace
against the bottom with our knees just to try
to stay in place. This can make an already difficult search even harder, but that is all part
of the adventure. The crocodile’s body color
and shape blends with the river’s dark soil,
especially near trees and papyrus reeds, making
them challenging to locate. We move
cautiously and quietly as we search.
We look for a line of jagged white teeth,
since it is the most easily distinguishing
characteristic of a croc as they hide in the
shadows of the riverbank. They usually
remain completely motionless, perfectly
camouflaged in their environment with the
exception of those gleaming, white teeth.
Then we see them, but they probably
don’t see us. With their thick nictitating
membranes drawn over their eyes for protection, their vision underwater is limited and
they won’t notice our slow and stealthy approach. The team leader carefully gets closer
and closer with the guest remaining behind
with the safety diver. When the “safe to
approach” signal is given, the guest (perfect
buoyancy is required for this adventure)
moves side by side with the safety diver to a
distance of no less than 12 inches. While they
are not known to be aggressive underwater,
it is wise to at least allow this minimum
amount of space between their mouth and
your port. in addition to boasting the most
powerful jaws in the animal kingdom, crocodiles
have sensors in their lower jaw that help
them interpret spatial relationships to objects
to compensate for their poor underwater vision;
invading their personal space can trigger a
reaction that could result in a negative experience.
BigAnimals.com | [email protected] | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950 | Phone 831.241.6657 | © Amos nAchoum PhoToGrAPhy
BigAnimals Expeditions | nilE crocodilEs July 6-13 / 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 / 16-22, 2017
the experience
To intrigue you even more, here is a nile crocodile story from Amos.
Fat Albert is 60-year-old croc about 15-18’ (5-6m) long with a nasty reputation,
but if you read the following you may learn not to pay too much attention to rumors.
A young kid disappeared one day from
his village along the okavango delta and
everyone in the village thought that the
resident croc was to blame. Fat Albert
was known to have an attraction to the
red life vests of tourists, and being that
the boy had been wearing red that day,
the villagers were convinced Fat Albert
had finally acted on his interest in this
color. The men in the village were determined to relocate the croc far away from
any community so it would no longer pose
a threat to anyone. The kid was found
unharmed later on the same night after
he had been out playing and hiding in
the bushes.
After this misunderstanding, Albert
became an attraction to some visitors,
underwater photographers like myself in
particular. Four years ago when i did my
first trip along the river, my guide asked
me if i wanted to look for Fat Albert. he
expected me to hesitate or to say no, but
i was thrilled and now the search was on!
We did not find Fat Albert that year.
When i returned to the okavango the
following year, i set out to visit with the
notorious Fat Albert, and i did.
We searched for four days among the
most remote waterways, cutting through
thick and over grown papyrus vegetation,
and we even got surprised by hippos
underwater. We continued on and an hour
later we entered an untouched tributary
of the okavango delta.
A huge croc was lying there peacefully,
but as soon as it heard our boat it started
moving. it was at this moment that my
guide realized this was unmistakably Fat
Albert due to its size and slow speed; it
had no fear of humans.
my guide was able to put me in the
water a few minutes later. sure enough,
Albert was fat, long, impressive and dominant,
but the croc hardly seemed to notice i was
there swimming along right next to him.
i picked up my kick and moved in to close
the distance. i swam along its tail, past its
giant, dark-fingered paws pined to the
riverbed, past its thick neck and finally
past its head. i turned around and prepared
my camera to capture a photo taking one
image, then two images, then two more.
Albert started moving, and i started
retreating. Then i realized to my surprise
that Albert was not coming at me, but
was instead turning away from me to my
right to move into the center of the river.
When i raised my head to inspect his long
body and watch his tail weaving and generating power, there it was. my dive buddy
was also coming up for a look at this croc,
and that’s what caused Fat Albert to leave.
The crowded field of two divers.
it seems he didn’t deserve such a bad
reputation after all. no TouchinG! no
chAsinG! our encounter is predicated by
our experience in knowing how to view
and photograph the nile crocodile without risk to personal safety.
We may remain with a crocodile for 30
seconds or 15 minutes. Timing is entirely
determined by the crocodile remaining in
the same place and for our quiet, relaxed
presence not to be considered as a threat.
We will stay with the croc as long as it will
allow of us, and when the croc is done, so
are we. We treat these animals with
complete respect because they deserve it,
and our safety is dependent upon it.
There is also a precise exit procedure.
once the croc has left or been disturbed,
we depart together. After reaching the
middle of the river by following the bottom,
the leader surfaces to direct the boat to us.
We never ascend mid-water or on the
surface as this can make us appear as a
prey item to the crocodile. We surface in
the protection of the boat’s silhouetted
shadow when signaled to do so.
We move on to the next crocodile
sighting following the same procedure
with each guest having their turn. only
one guest will be allowed in the water at a
time, ensuring that our full attention is
focused on making sure that you will be
completely safe and protected while
photographing these gigantic living relics.
Along a secluded sandy beach we will
enjoy our lunch before continuing our croc
searching until mid-afternoon. Alcohol is
never permitted during daytime expeditions.
When the angle of the sun reduces water
visibility, which typically happens around
3pm, we call it a day as we consider it
difficult to spot crocs and unsafe to be in
the water.
changing gears, as we continue to
cruise along the river to view birds, hippos,
and other creatures, we will photograph
the stealthy fish eagle. After catching some
fish to entice this raptor towards us, we
secure it to a papyrus branch. When we
find a fish eagle hunting, we will toss the
bait into the water at the perfect moment
and angle as it swoops down to gather a
meal. That is the secret of getting a close
up image of a fish eagle.
BigAnimals.com | [email protected] | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950 | Phone 831.241.6657 | © Amos nAchoum PhoToGrAPhy
BigAnimals Expeditions | nilE crocodilEs July 6-13 / 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 / 16-22, 2017
nile crocodiles,
Botswana
July 6-13 & 12-19, 2016
July 9-15 & 16-22, 2017
crocodilE ExPEriEncE: 6 years
WhErE: okavango delta, Botswana
Amos nAchoum
Expedition leader
Amos has over 40 years experience as
an adventurer and guide. he has 5 years
experience diving with crocodiles in
Botswana and Palau.
Amos is also a very accomplished
professional photographer who was the
BBc wildlife photographer of the year in
2007 and 2008.
Throughout your trip Amos will be
available to provide you with expert
coaching on various aspects of photographing crocodiles and their environment, with special attention paid to how
to get the best performance from your
equipment.
Amos uses his leadership and photography skills to artfully capture the lives
of ocean Giants whose existence is
under threat, but whose hope of survival
is linked to us communicating the truth.
BigAnimals Expeditions are designed
to add value to your life experience, to
generate attention for endangered
species, to aid in their preservation and
to provoke public awareness and opinion.
Enhance your
photographic skills
with Amos.
The Experience is
Priceless!
dATEs: July 6-13 and 12-19, 2016
July 9-15 and July 16-22, 2017
durATion: 8 days (7 days, 2017)
mAx no. oF GuEsTs: 3
PricinG: $18,900 per person based
on double occupancy
rEGisTrATion: deposit of $6,300
BigAnimals’ unique services –
raising the bar of services in every
adventure we operate around the
world is our policy.
We lead by example with immaculate
safety record. Each wildlife expedition
is carefully scouted before offered to
the public and we schedule departures
only during peak animal presence and
behavior displays, led by Amos nachoum
and based on his 40 years of diving and
photographing ocean and land Giants.
our nile crocodile Expedition is
strictly limited to only 3 privileged
guests. This is with consideration of
the animal’s welfare and behavior, your
safety and provides you with room to
move freely, ample space in which to
photograph and film, with personalized
attention and advice.
AccommodATions: mobile safari
camp
AcTiviTiEs: crocodile diving,
photography, exploration
TEmPErATurE: Water 58-62°F
(14-17°c) Air 50-80°F (10-27°c)
TriP PricE includEs:
• 6 nights at our safari camp–
accommodations plus all meals
• 5 days of exclusive crocodile diving
photo services with Amos and Walter
• All diving equipment, including tanks
and weights
• medic escort
• Film permits, taxes and fees
• Excess gear transport, ground
transport across Botswana
TriP PricE ExcludEs:
• international flight
• charter flight in Botswana
• hotel overnight in Johannesburg
• Gratuities to crew
• items of personal nature such as
phone calls, laundry and drinks
• items not mentioned above
BigAnimals.com | [email protected] | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950 | Phone 831.241.6657 | © Amos nAchoum PhoToGrAPhy
BigAnimals Expeditions | nilE crocodilEs July 6-13 / 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 / 16-22, 2017
nile CroCoDiles itinerarY > July 6-13 & 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 & 16-22, 2017
DaY 1
July 6 & 12, 2016 AND July 9 & 16, 2017
– ArrivE: Johannesburg. spend overnight
at airport hotel.
DaY 2
July 7 & 13, 2016 AND July 10 & 17, 2017
– Fly from Johannesburg to maun,
Botswana. We will pick you up at the
airport for the five-hour drive and cruise
to our safari camp.
DaY 3-7 (3-6 for 2017)
July 8-12 & 14-18, 2016 AND July 11-14 &
18-21, 2017
– Five (Four for 2017) days of extraordinary
corcodile diving and adventure in the
okavango river with nile crocs.
DaY 8 (7 for 2017)
July 13 & 19, 2016 AND 15 & 22, 2017
– dEPArT: 30-minute boat ride and
five-hour car ride to maun for flight to
Johannesburg. connect to your flight to
your next destination.
PAymEnT Policy And dEPosiT:
When we receive your deposit, we will
send you a comprehensive and detailed
Trip Preparation Bulletin about the
experience and the destination.
All trip costs are subject to change
without prior notice until your reservation
is confirmed.
A deposit of 33% of the total trip price
is required to secure space on the trip.
Full payment is due no later than 90
days before departure.
We reserve the right to sell any space
that is not paid in full by 60 days before
departure.
cAncEllATion Policy
-must be made in writing.
-more than 90 days before trip:
deposit will be refunded in full.
-90 days or less before trip:
deposit will be refunded if space is
sold, less unrecoverable costs of sales,
and administration costs.
-no refund is made for unused part
of the itinerary.
The following are subject to change:
-cost of services which are not
included in the expedition price
-Flight time and schedule
-Weather, water temperature, and
animal behavior
*dates and prices are subject to
change without prior notice.
BigAnimals.com | [email protected] | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950 | Phone 831.241.6657 | © Amos nAchoum PhoToGrAPhy
BigAnimals Expeditions | nilE crocodilEs July 6-13 / 12-19, 2016 AND July 9-15 / 16-22, 2017
ApplicAtion Form
Expedition nile crocodiles | Expeditions dates: July 6-13 and 12-19, 2016 & July 9-15 and 16-22, 2017
PErsonAl informAtion
first name
last name
date of Birth
Gender:
female
male
Address
city
state
Work Phone
Zip
home Phone
Email
citizen of
Passport #
Place issued & date
trip price $18,900 per person. deposit of 1/3 is required to secure space= $6,300 non-refundable.
final payment due 90 days before departure. $
if you intend to shoot video or work on a film project in Botswana, we must obtain a filming permit for you and
must receive all the information from you no later than 90 days before departure.
Permit cost $1,500
Please make your check payment to BigAnimals Expeditions, 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950.
overseas payment can be done via bank wire, instructions will be sent to you upon receipt of this application.
Promotional code
travel insurance:
yEs
no Provider
Policy #
travel insurance is prerequisite and mandatory on BigAnimals adventures. We need to have your policy number..
do you carry diving insurance?
yEs
no Provider
diving Experience in strong current and low visibility
Policy #
none
limited
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Expert
diving Experience/years in diving
Where & When last 3 dive Experiences? 1
2
3
how do you rate your Photography and/or Video skills?
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BigAnimals.com | [email protected] | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, cA 93950 | Phone 831.241.6657 | © Amos nAchoum PhotoGrAPhy