Swim faster! Swim faster!
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (384772)
Rockingham, Australia
May 5, 2026 4:46am CST
Following on from my last post about recurring attacks by dingoes on people, I read an article this morning where several people at Lake Argyle were bitten by freshwater crocodiles. Lake Argyle is home to about 35,000 freshwater crocodiles, which are less aggressive than their saltwater counterparts. They do not normally attack humans unless they feel threatened.
Four hundred swimmers have entered the Lake Argyle Swim but were not deterred by the crocodiles with no-one choosing not to swim. Because of safety concerns, the course was changed slightly and a lot of boats accompanied the swimmers.
Trivia includes competitor, ultra swimmer Andy Donaldson, who recently broke a world record by swimming 55km in less than 12 hours.
Some wit said the threat of a nip from a crocodile would be an incentive to swim faster! Ain’t that the truth?
The photo is another one from Karajini which isn't as far north as Lake Argyle but similar country.
15 people like this
17 responses
@DaddyEvil (175673)
• United States
5 May
I wouldn't care if freshwater crocodiles are "less aggressive". If there are crocodiles known to be in the lake, I ain't getting in the water!
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (175673)
• United States
6 May
@JudyEv 
With my luck, we'd be sitting on a sand flea nest.
With my luck, we'd be sitting on a sand flea nest.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (384772)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 May
@DaddyEvil I suppose we have them here.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (210654)
• United States
5 May
I'll do my swimming without crocodiles..Thank you. I didn't really know what kind of water Crocs swam in.
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (52005)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 May
I don't swim anyway, so I won't be swimming with crocs.
3 people like this
@rakski (158383)
• Philippines
5 May
@BarBaraPrz
good answer!
I can swim but not for a long stretch like racing the crocs. 
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (223739)
• United States
5 May
I wouldn't be swimming in crocodile infested waters.
3 people like this
@rebelann (117654)
• El Paso, Texas
5 May
Swim faster than a crocodile seems to me to be a bit impossible, I've never seen one myself but I have read that they do swim fairly fast. I personally would never get into water where they live. From what little I know from what I have read, they view humans as a possible food source and not something to be feared. Reptiles aren't cuddly kritters like dogs or cats
2 people like this
@Ineeddentures (38316)
•
5 May
You must be nuts to get into water where there are so many crocodiles
I reckon Crocodiles would see 400 swimmers as a very real threat
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (384772)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 May
@Ineeddentures For some reason they euthanised a crocodile somewhere else and winched it out be helicopter. There were human remains in the stomach. They must have known it was a 'guilty party'.
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (38316)
•
6 May
@JudyEv
Aye.
So if it goes wrong and someone gets eaten what then?
Will they murder the crocodiles?
1 person likes this
@cuttyrish (3264)
• United States
7 May
That is some serious commitment from those swimmers! You couldn’t pay me enough to jump in with 35,000 crocodiles, "freshies" or not. Even if they are less aggressive than the salties, that’s a lot of potential "nips" to worry about.
That wit was spot on—having a crocodile behind you is probably the best motivation there is to shave a few minutes off your personal best! It’s impressive that Andy Donaldson and the rest of the crew weren't even slightly deterred.
The photo from Karijini is stunning, too. That rugged landscape is so iconic, even if it’s a bit further south. It really puts the scale of the outback into perspective. Glad everyone made it through the swim without becoming a snack!
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (52005)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 May
Do people try scaling that rock wall and then diving into the water?
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (52005)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
6 May
@JudyEv It looks so much like a set of stairsteps that it'd be too inviting not to.
1 person likes this
@luisadannointed (11884)
• Philippines
12 May
Isn't that's weird for their government to allow swimmers there when they know it has a lot of alligators?
Normally they should be closing down the whole place, right?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (384772)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 May
That would be like trying to shut down the everglades in Florida. The swimmers know the dangers so they choose if they want to enter the swim meet or not. Where there are saltwater crocodiles there are lot of signs warning people of the dangers of swimming there.
