HAPPY EASTER FROM KOMODO

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KOMODO ISLAND - EASTER SUNDAY

If I’m not home for Easter, this is a cool (not very) place to be. After two sea days we arrived at Komodo and anchored at six a.m. I had been up for an hour at this point, so excited and a little nervous that I might be seeing the largest lizard on earth today.
At six, the temperature was 86 degrees and the humidity was 85%. Slawi Bay was a calm as a mirror and there were a few clouds in the sky. My tour left at 7:30 and we tendered to the dock.
When we walked down the dock a medium size Komodo Dragon was on the beach to meet us. It would have been a successful day right then. These animals are large, this one about five feet long and eat carrion, usually deer, buffalo or boar, sometimes monkeys. They kill their prey by chemical warfare and not combat. Their talons and teeth are razor sharp and they chase and bite their victims. Their saliva contains seven deadly bacteria. They follow the wounded animal until it dies of infection. Then the feast begins. They can move quickly and run in spurts of up to 12 mph.
Our group set off with the ranger and a guide. They carry large forked sticks and I can attest that they know how to use them to deter a curious dragon. The day got progressively hotter and more humid but under the canopy of the forest we had a bit of shelter from the sun. The entire island is National Park and is pristine. The current dragon population numbers approximately 1,300 on Komodo and a similar number live on the neighboring islands.
Shortly into our walk a smallish dragon came out of the bush and led us down the path to the water hole. We followed meekly. There we saw the granddaddy lizard. He looked to be about nine feet from tip to forked tongue to tail. I have no idea how much he weighed but it was a lot. He posed for us and the smaller dragon, a female, approached the crowd but was shown the business end of the forked stick.
We continued along the trail, enjoying the natural flora and the beautiful butterflies. I could hear birds but didn’t spot any. I kept a wary eye out for snakes and the nephilia spider which can grow to six inches long. Didn’t see any but others did and I checked out their pictures. One was a large white constrictor that was curled in a tree.
I ran the gauntlet of vendors and bought a tee shirt. On the dock while waiting for the tender I saw a school of tangs that looked like large Moorish Idols. Best fish picture yet!!!
Hoping everyone has a glorious Easter and finds all their eggs.

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