Snakes, Jellyfish, and Automobiles

I can’t say I wasn’t warned. Channel 10 News had run a special with the slogan: Summer is coming, and so are the snakes! But nothing hammers home the message quite like nearly stepping on a black tiger snake; one of the deadliest in the world.

Black tiger snake, Herdsman Lake.

One afternoon I had decided to take my camera and go for a leisurely walk around Herdsman Lake, which is the local hang out for numerous bird species. I had just finished taking a picture of an exotic looking bird, when something caught my eye. There on the walking path, within a couple of feet of me, was a black tiger snake. I immediately froze in mid-stride. At the time, I was unaware of which species of snake I had encountered. Since Australia is the home to some of the most deadly creatures on earth, I decided to play it safe. With my heart pounding, I calmly started backing away. It must have been just as startled from my presence, because, as soon as I started to retreat, it made a break for it and slithered away. Ironically, shortly thereafter, I passed signs warning people that black tiger snakes were known to occupy the surrounding area. I was more cautious and aware of my surroundings for the remainder of my excursion.

Warning sign, Herdsman Lake.

My luck didn’t get much better the next day. Steph and I went to cool off in the Indian Ocean. We chose to go to Leighton Beach which is in North Fremantle. Helicopters regularly patrol the coast on the look-out for sharks. However, jellyfish are able to slip through their radar undetected. We were wading in the water, when Steph noticed a brownish-black blob; moving toward us against the current! Steph, being the smart and responsible one, immediately put as much distance between herself and the blob. I, however, felt the blob warranted an investigation. It didn't take me long to verify our suspicions that it, in fact, was a jellyfish and most likely venomous (which is purely hypothetical as I did not wish to further investigate the deadly nature of the jellyfish with any sense of certainty).

If the snakes and jellyfish weren't enough, we still have to deal with Australian traffic. We’re still a little unsure of the official rules of the road, but it appears that pedestrians do not have the right of way. Even the most basic traffic signs (i.e. stop signs) do not protect pedestrians. We've learned the hard way. Fun fact: when an Aussie flips you off, because he nearly hit you with his vehicle, it is an aggressive backward peace sign gesture.