Croc hostage 'prayed for God to save me'
New Zealand tourist Ryan Blair spent almost three weeks trapped on a remote island in our far north, stalked by a giant crocodile. Nine News.
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A New Zealand kayaker prayed for his life as a giant crocodile he feared would devour him at any moment kept him hostage on a remote Australian island.
Ryan Blair had an amazing escape after he was trapped by the massive crocodile on the Governor Islands in the Timor Sea off the northern tip of Western Australia for more than two weeks.
‘It was so close . . . I was scared for my life.
The 37-year-old had been exploring the WA coast near Kalumburu, between Derby and Kununurra when he ended up stranded at the twin islands of East and West Governor, the biggest of which, West, is just 260 hectares. The nearest settlement is Kalumburu, about 40 kilometres south.
The big crocodile wouldn't let Ryan leave.
Once alone, the Kiwi realised he didn't have enough supplies and tried to paddle the four kilometres to the mainland.
But he immediately caught the eye of a six-metre saltwater crocodile that's lived in the area for years.
Every time he tried to leave, the crocodile would stalk Mr Blair, leaving the adventurer fearing for his life and stranded for more than a fortnight.
The Kayacker was left stranded on the Governor Islands, on the northern tip of WA. View Larger Map
''He was about four metres away from me and I thought 'this is it',''' Mr Blair said.
''It was so close, and if this croc wanted to take me it would not have been an issue.
''I was scared for my life - I was hard-core praying for God to save me.''
On Saturday, local Don MacLeod spotted a light on the island, and when he checked it out, the hatless, shirtless and desperate visitor approached.
''He was relieved and shocked, and thankful someone had come along because he was running out of options pretty quickly,'' Mr MacLeod told ABC radio.
''He is a very, very lucky man.''
Ryan's passage to WA was not easy in itself.
He travelled from Queensland on a yacht whose owner was jailed in the Northern Territory, leaving Mr Blair stranded for two months.
After hitching a lift with a solo yachtsman from the Territory to WA, he was dropped on Governor Island with 160 litres of water, some flour and dry stores.
But after realising he was unprepared for the Kimberley wilderness, three attempts to reach the mainland were thwarted by the crocodile.
Mr MacLeod said the story was incredible.
''He said every time he got in his little kayak, which was only 2.5m long, this crocodile - who has lived there for many years and is a monster - has chased him,'' Mr MacLeod said.
''He was desperate for water when I trotted up.
''We gave him a cold beer, which was probably the wrong thing, and then he went to sleep about three-quarters of the way home.''
Mr Blair flew out of Kalumburu to Kununurra on Monday, and said he had seen enough of Australia's outback.
''For the moment I can have a bit of a break from the adventuring days,'' Mr Blair said.
AAP
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