As an Australian who has spent many years working and living in the NT and Queensland. I can say 100% you DO NOT EVER swim in a non designated swimming area. If its not crocs, its bull sharks, box jelly fish, stone fish, Iracanji jellyfish or something similar that will take you. Tourists always dont listen and either disappear or get hurt. On another point, the river you speak about is that colour due to the tea trees and other trees around it that makes it almost black. You are correct if you dive 1 foot under the water you literally disappear. Many people have died, disappeared or have lost limbs. Its not only in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia are just as bad. Please if you visit Australia please abide by the signs and always throw a rock, branch, etc... into the water before you go anywhere near it. If something moves do not go in.
Some damn good advice from a native who knows. Hey EVERYONE!! READ THAT COMMENT & ABIDE BY IT. It would be wise to do as they suggest, before entering into, any unknown body of dark or questionable water. It could mean the difference, between ☠️ & YOUR VERY LIFE.
Aussie here also. Facts and truth mate. Also, if you hear "dogs barking" near creeks or rivers at night up north, don't go to find the "dogs". You'll end up in the water, going rotten, being dinner. Always keep your vehicle, swag, tent etc COMPLETELY SEALED. Shake out all clothing and check your boots before putting your foot in...even though you kept them in a bag when you took them off. Always spend 5 minutes watching your proposed tent or camp site closely for ant activity, as you don't want to be stomping around on top of a bull ant nest, and having 100,000 of them come and show their lack of appreciation for your visit. Use insect repellent lavishly around vehicle tires if parked up, tent poles n ropes, ropes to trees especially. Coat these in it. Carry a stick with lots of twigs in front of you when walking through the bush, it will take out the webs before you end up with an unwanted friend the size of a plate on your face. March flies...huge but absolutely silent...stealthy, painful and disgusting. Its "bite" is it sawing through your skin to lay eggs under it. Aussies can discern usually between "eye floaters" and bugs like this...or we err in caution and jump away from nothing, looking weird...but its better than being an incubator for fly eggs. If you see a plant with hairs or small spines on it, ffs do not go and investigate...it doesn't want to know you, and you definitely don't want to know it. Same goes for any bugs, and many of our cute critters in the wild. In saying all that, you only have to follow the rules of the land, same as anywhere. We have no big land predators. So wherever we go we are in charge, apart from salty territory I guess. The country EASILY makes up for it with everything else.
Can we all just say how great it is to finally have missing individuals noticed by their loved ones, reported, and a search party immediately get underway?
Ballen tells the stories so well that he always puts in when a friend or family member reports them missing. Turns out it's better to be missing in Nowhere, Australia than Anywhere, America.
I'm not sure we all need to be saying it, but I do somewhat agree with you: noticing when a loved one is missing is great - it's an encouraging start, at least..
@@libradawg9 Not much of US civilization is up against large expanses of wilderness, most of the wilderness there is is less dangerous than that of Australia, and many of the people who do long treks into it are the introvert type who tell little to no one what they're doing.
Crocs are absolutely the apex of apex predators and they’re so incredibly cunning. If a fisherman goes to a particular spot on a river regularly in a salty’s territory the croc will remember the time of day and then will wait to ambush them. It’s why zookeepers will randomly change up feeding times so they don’t become food themselves.
I'm African and I was born in the Uk. As a child I had swimming lessons and became a good swimmer. When I was twelve my family decided to relocate back to Nigeria. For the most part we lived in the city of Lagos but by the time I was fifteen I was sent off to boarding school in my village. One day I was out and about with two of my friends when we came across a lake. Having not had the opportunity to go swimming in years, I thought that it was a beautiful opportunity to jump into the water to cool off and have a swim. To my friend's horror, I did just that. I swam out to the centre of this lake and started enjoying my swim. Meanwhile my friends on the bank were losing their minds telling me to come back to shore. At the time, I remember thinking that their concern was out of jealously because they couldn't swim. Anyway, after a little while I decided to heed their pleas and swim back in. Long story short, nothing happened to me in the water HOWEVER every time I look back at that incident I shiver at how foolish I had been to go into that water, in a desolate place where anything could have been in the water. On reflection, I really feel that I dodged the bullet that day.
"Never swim in this Australian river". As an Aussie listening to this and being that it was Darwin area, I was just waiting to hear the word crocodile. It was very foolish of them to go to that river. RIP Brett.
As an Australian, I only swim in water that I can see my feet in. I don’t care if it’s an ocean, lake or river. As soon as I can’t see my feet anymore, I’m outta there. I work on the theory that I’ll be able to see the danger coming if I can still see my feet.
Just to be clear you don't have to be IN the water for them to get you, you just have to be near it. They will launch themselves onto the shore/banks lightning quick and can actually move fast on land over short distances. Standing on the edge of the water is almost as dangerous as being in it.
Execpt you have to be very close like a few feet and being in water vs a big killer croc like a saltwater or Nike your dead if your on land you have a slight chance
My father was the police officer who helped the boys from the tree. I’m in awe that you have covered this story! The search for the body was one of the biggest in NT’s history. They tried so hard to find him.
Grew up at Borroloola a remote town on the Mcarther River in the Gulf of Carpentry in the North of Australia there are some Big Crocs in the River and a few people have been taken over the years always watch and never be complacent because they will hunt out of water and also pull you out of the boat given the opportunity in the blink of an eye
@@michellepollard3591 I am very thankful that American alligators are not as aggressive. I grew up fishing from a canoe, often within arms length of them.
@@zachjameson5442 there are actually crocs in south florida that live in saltwater/brackish water, no idea if they are as aggressive as those in the story thpugh. I live in central Florida & don't like to swim in the lakes because of gators
Please, folks, never ever go into flood water. Whether you're walking, swimming, or driving, flood water is dangerous and the current can be much stronger than it appears. Stay alive, friends!
@@ryveralexander8511 especially here in Georgia and Florida. Gators get all disoriented and end up in very awkward places, but it's the snakes trying to escape the water that pose the biggest problem.
Spot on, ppl see a slow current and don't realise the amount of force created by so much moving water. As I write this most of upper NSW and and lower QLD are totally flooded with many families displaced and a few unlucky souls losing their life. Seems like these once a decade floods r now occuring every 3-4 yrs !
Fun fact: The crocodile probably went under the water with Brett, stuffed him under a rock or log, and left him there to "soften up" over a few days before coming back to eat its meal. That's probably why the body vanished initially and why it never floated up to be found later. Edit: Because people are asking how I know this: I saw it in a nature documentary about crocodiles in the Rainbow River in Africa killing and hiding the bodies of wildebeest who have to cross the river in their annual migrations. The crocks kill a beast during the crossing, hides the body, and goes back for another one. They only have till the herd finishes crossing the river to make as many kills as possible, so they strike-and-stash till there are no more beasts to hunt. Some crocks get up to 5 beasts in one 45 minute crossing. Mr. Ballen's description of the crock going under the water with Brett but coming up without Brett sounds exactly like that. It hid the body in the water and went back for seconds.
@@kateofone Storing food away and coming back for it later is a survival instinct that most animals have. Squirrels do it with nuts. Crocks usually do it because "softer" meat is easier to rip apart and swallow than fresh, firm beasties.
I wish I'd noted how many subs he had when I found him so I could gauge how long I've been subbed. but at least I remember "even five times every week"
I was lying on my bed, listening to this story, with a leg and an arm hanging off my bed. This story was so well-told that I pulled my legs and arms close to my torso for protection from the crocodile on the other side of the Earth.
Story is told so well that I could almost physically feel myself going through what these guys went through. Feeling of sitting on a tree branch basically waiting for death with that slightest chance of someone comming to the rescue.
This story brought me some crazy flashbacks, i've never been around crocodiles, but I've lived in mangrove area and one time there was a flash flood and the current in the middle was so hard I could not swim against, so I needed to go to the side to trees, by the time I got to the trees, I was swept away far enough I've had to spend hours going from branch to branch until I could get out of the flooded area onto firm sand. It would rain a little sometimes and even light rain would make everything slippery. It was very stressful and still nothing compared to having a saltwater water crocodile trying to eat you after it ate your friend
Right?? I literally noticed my heartrate increase and my palms sweat (they're still sweating, I'm recovering from this lol). MrBallan is an amazing story teller.
Same here i noticed my toes curling as soon as he said there was an extreme rainstorm and i thought of the water, and croc, rising to within range of the kids.
I'm Australian and have grown up around these predators. I think for a foreigner, the thing that would surprise you the most is how aggressive and territorial they are. They are nothing like alligators, in fact comparing them is like comparing a Lion with a Pitbull. They can both bite, and can both kill, but one will only bite when provoked. The other will strategically hunt you then maul you to death the moment you step within its kill range. Saltys will not allow anything into their territory. If they know you are there, and they without doubt will, it's only a matter of seconds until they will be there, ripping you in half. They are also one of only a handful of animals on earth that actively pursue humans as a prey item. When I was about 19 I was jogging through the bush in Darwin, and came to a small creek crossing which I had crossed heaps of times before. This creek was so narrow you could step over it, and no deeper than 1 foot. I jogged up to it and stepped over it, and heard this huge splash, I turned around and there was a 15 foot salty launching out of the water, the only thing that saved me was it was facing the other way from me, I was at its tail end. It turned in the air so fast that I still only made it by about 1 meter. And at the time I considered myself to be 'croc wise', always expect them. I didn't expect one because it was so narrow. I broke the rule, always expect them. I have never again been within 5 meters of any body of water up here..
@@selrox879 I was extremely lucky. They are very efficient hunters, and do not miss often. The mistake I made was crossing at the same spot. Crocs are very strategic, they will observe where you cross, and they will wait days, sometimes weeks, in that spot ready to nail you.
I used to work with a croc hunter who had to go and try and catch crocs that had taken people. He said there was one case where a woman jogged along a beach every morning at the same time for weeks before a croc finally took her. He said crocs watch your habits for a long time and are extremely intelligent and basically stalk you to time exactly when they'll take you. Just because you do something safely for a while near crocs doesn't mean the crocs not watching and observing you and timing it's attack.
What a horrible profession: croc hunter. That's as silly as those knobs in the movie Jaws who tried to personalize "the" particular shark who attacked and killed a person, as if the animal is thinking like a human. They aren't human. They're predatory animals. Hunting them out of human vengeance is cruel, silly, and disrespectful. We're in their turf, so we are the intruders. It's our job to be cautious. But hunting them down, one by one to seek out specific ones is horrible.
A South African Special Forces Operators were working in Angola to blow a bridge in 1986 or 1987, not sure now. The only way to approach the bridge was on kayaks, and the last stretch would be outside the kayak. That was a change they took as there is crocs in the river. They blew the bridge and had to make their way back in the river, and they decided to take the chance and stay in the river as it was the fastest method. One operator felt a tug on his flippers and then a full-on bite on the leg. He immediately got his diving knive out and started taking on the croc. He stabbed the croc a couple of times under the tummy, and the croc immediately left him as trying to stab the top was trying to stab a tank. This croc was about 3m long, and he won the fight. The croc turned him, tried everything, but just got stabbed more. I was based at 4 Reconnaissance Regiment, where the operator was based as well. He wrote a book about it as well, his operator life and missions.
I love how when things were getting exciting/dangerous your tempo picked up, you got louder, and your gestures got more intense. All signs of a great story teller.
Before I read this comment I was just thinking this guy's job is basically "professional storyteller" lol. At least I hope he earns enough from the channel to make this his full time job if he wants it to be.
Not only are Saltwater Crocs known for hunting humans, they're also known for being extremely territorial and vindictive. They're one of a select few apex predators that will hunt out of spite, instead of just hunger.
I have never had so much anxiety hearing about something I wasn't a part of. These poor kids, I couldn't imagine this absolutely horrifying experience.
Listening to the survival stories I know crocodiles will pay attention to where people are camping and then sneak up at night get in their tent and attack they pay attention to where people are especially if they're there for more than a day
We've had a couple of people killed by crocs in Australia in just the last week - we stopped hunting them so now the population is bigger than ever in the Northern Territory theres around 5 crocs for every 1km of river so yeah I wouldn't be going for a swim if you value your life - It's hard to appreciate how big these crocs are until you see them in person if you see them bite on something it's the strongest snap you'll ever see
One of the survivors is a good mate of mine - Shaun Blowers. We do the ‘Brett Mann Memorial Ride’ every year on the weekend before Christmas. There are 2 groups Shaun’s group and Ashley’s group. 4wd’s, Buggies and quad bikes, it’s a great ride to reflect on how thankful we all are to do the things we love. Rest In Peace Brett - Legend. Cheers
This story touched me so much! Please tell Shaun and Ashley they are true heroes! I am so impressed with their quick actions, strength and their heroic resolve to do everything in their power to save their friend! Most people would not have been able to overcome those odds or survive in those circumstances, good thing Aussies are tougher than the rest of us! Love from America!
I grew up in Weipa, near the tip of Australia. We lived and played on the banks of the croc-infested Mission River. We were actually taught crocodile safety in kindergarten/prep right alongside our abc's. It was drilled into us, just like looking left & right to cross the road. Don't go near the water at dawn, dusk or dark. Don't go to the same spot on the river at the same time every day. Mix up your water visits, because the crocs are watching you and they will learn your patterns, and one day they will take you. It wasn't any more scary to us than the thought of getting hit by a car when crossing the road. It was just a danger we lived with. I live in south QLD now and there are almost no crocs in the water here, but I occasionally think back to my northern childhood and get a little shiver down my spine wondering how many times a croc was watching me. This story brings it all back.
This is exactly right what’s written here. Again on the Finnis River there was a tin mine, it was no where near where this latest story was, not a big mine, only worked by a few people. There was a croc there, they were aware of it. Every day the pump had to be turned on and the pump was down by the river. One of the guys was chased one morning by the bloody thing, he wasn’t caught but it put the wind up the lot of them. Crocs may be big but they’re fast. But a croc will wait, and wait, cunning mongrel bloody things they are.
@@triggerhappy8872. We lived there for 35 years and everywhere then could only have got worse since we left. I don’t understand why they don’t have culls, even every few years would help, the bloody things are so cunning they’d learn after a while to back off. For a while there a number of tourists were taken both in the West and in the NT, I thought they may do it then. If you’re a Darwin person you’d be well aware of the tourist/croc jokes that went around, when that happens to my way of thinking it’s time to cull. Hate em.
@@wms72 that’s one theory. It could be that having parents with credentials like that may be genetic as well. Even if let’s say for a second it’s true he was reading from a script, he still does a great job at it. My question is why would that bother you?
Thats what they do with monkeys. Sometimes they fall out of trees into the water and the crocodiles will just wait until they do. Helps the crocs preserve energy and that helps them wait even longer. It was hungry for some hairless monkeys.
in WW2 one of the Islands had a battle between the US troops and Japanese, they decided that they would enter a swamp Thousands went in and the Salt water crocs spent all night eating and only a few hundred of the japanese troops survived. the screams the US troops heard all night left may with nightmares for years. Mr Ballen did a video on it last year i think.
I'm Australian and I remember asking my wife (who is Canadian) as we drove alongside one of the locks of the Great Lakes, if I could swim in there. She said sure if you wanted. I asked what might get me, she said nothing. This went on for some time, with me almost unable to fathom that it would be entirely clear of any kind of danger, be it creature, current etc. She said "boat pollution?" We both laughed. Different parts of the world... :)
One of the many great things about the USA! The beautiful beaches of the 6 Great Lakes (I’m including Champlain 😛), with no dangerous wildlife or salty water!
@@ryanr5139 Yeah just so different. I mean Canada has bears and cougars whereas Oz has almost no larger land mammals that can take you out. But the insects and the water ways...just a problem. :D
@@simonbanks3058 in general, the Great lakes are pretty nasty. I used to live around Cleveland which is on lake Eerie. The city is famous for polluting the lake & its tributaries so severely that the water literally caught on fire. If there was ever a species in lake Eerie capable of eating you, I'm pretty sure we killed it.
@@Diahrrea_Jones Yeah I did forget to mention, that she did say " pollution from the boats might get you :D " It is such a shame that they are polluted as they contain so much fresh water. Here in Oz, fresh water isn't scarce but is definitely valuable and is not to be wasted. So I hope the treatment of the great lakes improves over time.
I grew up in the NT (Northern Territory) and can 100% confirm that rivers and estuaries in the Northern Territory are legitimately PACKED with salt water crocodiles.... The Adelaid River and Mary River being two of the worst with an average of 1 adult saltwater crocodile on each side of the river every 20~25 meters. They do tours there where they float you along in a large pontoon boat and get the crocs to jump out of the water for chunks of meat... Its utter insanity when you see a 15~17ft long, 500kg reptile launch its entire body mass out of the water (leaving only their tail in the water)... You hear those jaws snap closed with 3700psi of force and you instantly realise just how fragile humans are compared to these things... They are AMAZING to watch - but you HAVE to respect them. You know they are there, you know they are faster and stronger than you, and it has absolutely NO issues sneaking up on you and taking you if they want to... They are calculated, they will stalk you - follow you around if you're fishing either off the bank or in a boat. They will watch your habits and figure out when you're at your most vunerable... When you least expect it - they can strike with speed you can't even imagine an animal of that size moving at. Fun part - they rarely eat people... They will kill you and stuff your corpse under a tree or a mangrove root, and wait for fish and crabs to come to feed off you - and they will eat the marine life that comes to pick at your corpse... Life in Australia is crazy sometimes - but life in the Northern Territory is a completely different game... Hundreds of Shark species, 3 jellyfish species that are toxic enough to kill you within minutes of a sting, about 50 species of venomous snakes (including the most venomous land snake, the most venomous sea snake and 6 of the top 10 most venomous snakes on earth), Wild Dogs, Crocodiles, hundreds of venomous spiders... Come to Australia - its fun ;)
I was stationed in Australia from 6/85 to 9/86 on the NW Cape (Exmouth, Western Australia). I remember hearing about many of the dangerous animals & other creatures there. I only saw one poisonous snake as it slithered by my feet while I was sitting on the "Share Ride" bench at the front gate of the base. Mostly all I saw was kangaroos, emus & zillions of flies. I went there wanting to swim in the Indian Ocean but ended up never daring to ever even sticking a toe in.
Crocs learn things very quickly and change their behavior to overcome a situation, So a big Croc in a zoo in Indonesia would let his handler feed him close to the water one day, Then the next day the Croc would sit a bit further back in the water, Same with the next day, He was setting a planned out attack on his handler, Luckily an experienced keeper noticed what the Croc was doing and they changed they way they feed him, Mad to think a Croc is that calculating!
Fun fact, crocodiles and alligators stash their food! They secure them under roots, logs, and rock at the bottom of the river. There are two reasons for this. They know that food wont always be easy to get, so when they have excess prey they save it for later. Also, if they cant swallow the prey whole, they often wait till the meat is soggy and rotten, that way they can easily tear chucks off. So Bret's bones (or whats left of the bones) are likely under a random mangrove nearby the original tree
There was fisherman who was fishing in a river. He later wakes up in cove dug into the river bank. The dead deer lying near him clued him into the fact that a gator had whacked him senseless with its tail. The gator was around so this guy had to drop through the entrance and back into the river then swim to the river bank before the gator came from for dinner.
What do they do with the plastic clothing I wonder? Do they rip it off or swallow it hole. If they swallow it. It must be a horrible belly ache. Poor thing. 😔
@@maxpower1413 yep. Just think about that part when the crocodile comes up with the yellow jacket body in mouth to show his kill and watches them on the tree. Horror movies dont scare me, no demon story etc etc i dont even take those seriously any historical horror stories but these hunting stories crocodile watching them in that black water in such a isolated body of Australia is easily 1 of the most scary part of a story iv ever heard. The black water the hunt it could probably give an older men a heart attack. Just because its true. Not a made up story.
@@Mouser21 being an American hero really isn't that relevant to non-Americans dude. No disrespect towards it at all but it really doesn't mean much to others, also doesn't make lying ok. You can call it negativity all you want but it's true, not all facts are happy. He lies
@@Mouser21 also if you watch his channel you're soaking in a whole lot of negativity already, most of these stories he tells aren't positive at all. And they frequently show that just because somebody "seems like a very cool, down to earth guy" doesn't at all mean that they really are
My God this story was terrifying and heart breaking. I can't even imagine how terrified and hopeless these boys must have felt. How traumatized they must been seeing their best friend in the mouth that salt water croc and not being able do anything help him or themselves.
@@alyssachapoy8680 now I'm in a rabbit hole I'm looking at croc attacks because there was just a gator attack here in Florida where I'm at and there's been several over the last couple months and I grew up here and I'm thankful as a kid I wasn't attacked because I did dumb stuff but now that I'm older I probably keep me in my dog away from the embankment because alligators and crocodiles can jump and rip you off of the bank and I take myself out of those situations because this is a nightmare of mine ever since being a kid I used to dream about getting eaten by a gator if I was swimming
When I first went to the NT I knew the water was dangerous but I had this notion that like in nature documentaries you would see crocodiles if you just looked, going across the surface or something after all they are just dumb lizards. About a month after i got there I did some work on the rivers south of Darwin and the guy I was with said "yeah there's heaps of crocodiles around wanna see one?" and splashed a stick in the water for about 10 seconds. I will never forget what happened, this bloody huge animal materialised next to the boat, no ripple, no splash, no warning at all, and as soon as it went 1 cm under the water you could not tell AT ALL that it was there. I lived and worked their for another few years and I would NEVER go near any body of water no matter how clear or how safe people said it was. There's a reason those thing have been around for millions of years.
..and you called it dumb ! Croc are much more smarter than you think. The older ones surfaced the head without a ripple to patiently spy on you. But not all croc eat people.
Crocs are smart, always watching, I heard a story about some local kids who made a rope swing into the water near Port Douglas off one of the beaches in an area not generally frequented by crocs, they spent the afternoon there and came home and told their parents, next day, one of the mothers went to check out the swing and sure enough, there’s a salty hanging underneath the swing waiting for the kids to come back.
YES! This. designated swiming areas are for a reason (but not bull{shark}et proof. yolo territory peeps know and use temp swing setups already. often not to land in the water. but def mix up their swing setups locals.
I can’t stress how relaxed this man makes me feel. Despite how strange, dark, and mysterious his stories get. I’ve made it a point to only watch his videos on days where I have very little to do, so at this point I instinctually link him to good times. It’s always a good day when I can just smoke a bowl or two, make a bite to eat and just sit back and get immersed in his content. And in case the man himself sees this- hope you’re doin good, thank you for being such a binge-worthy channel :)
When I was a kid you could swim in a lot of rivers in northern QLD but after 30-45 years of hunting of crocs being banned, there numbers have exploded, I would never swim in any of the rivers there now or the beaches as well
That was crazy intense and it’s horrible for Brett to have his life end in such a way. This makes it clear that he was lucky to have such good friends despite the tragic, unlucky situation in the black water.
@@RoseEden. I don’t think anyone is questioning it wasn’t a good idea & undoubtedly think his friends would be the first to say. Must be a horrible thing to live with especially survivors guilt.
He’s good but I’ve heard better. He’s just retelling a story he already heard. The best tell you a story they came up with from within their own imagination.
I’ve never been a “UA-cam guy “ where dudes hop on UA-cam everyday and watch video on a daily basis. But I have to admit this Channel is the most entertaining thing I’ve seen in a long time. It’s like a tv show, but it’s real and it’s cool. Congrats on having an authentic channel my man this definitely is something else 🙌🏼. Btw I think we can all agree that your stories but also your storytelling are incredible
@@d1user I’m thinking that would be you, Ivan Miguel Tio, me, Holly Marie preece, and all the other thousands of people who like to torture the Like button and are fans of the strange dark and mysterious delivered in story format and have come to the right place.
I live in Australia and have been here for about 20 years. I rarely go out into the ocean for fear of sharks and I would definitely not bath in any river in the Northern territory.... Those boys should have known better than goin into the river knowing full well it had crocodiles. Tourists don't always know this, but local born would never do this. I feel sorry for the boy's family. This could have been avoided.
Man when you were telling the part where he fell out of the tree and how he was swimming back my anxiety was going nuts. You really know how to get someone on the edge of their seat.
No,, you don’t count.... Australians I picture a scene reminiscent of 300 . “ Only Australian women give birth to real men...” and a sweet ft kick down the well . Takes care of the baddies . I mean good god your nature is scary as frick, buff Roos, trees that can kill you, tons or shady poison snakes and the SPIDERS oh Lawd the big spiders... I am convinced you could just wreastle 2 cros and pull them on shore .. you have to be super human ..
You truly have a gift for storytelling! Not just in the words you spoke, but in your authentic delivery. Cheers to you mate! Truly gifted. (...and great story, as well. Beyond traumatic and certainly serves as a warning to us all.)
I found the secret within 5 minutes once, was able to prove with screenshots and tagging that I was the first with the description and time and it went to someone who found it 30 minutes later. Tagged him multiple times, sent screenshots privately and was ignored. Even had others back up what I was saying in a few of the threads. I no longer try because even if you get it first, It doesnt matter sadly.
I used to try and find it but I gave up. The story is so much more important than finding the secret. Mr.Ballen is really great and thoroughly enjoy listening to him.
I used to be a police officer in the Northern Territory and on night shift we used to drive down to the Adelaide River, which is the main river flowing out to sea near Darwin. Once at the water line, we would put our high beams on and hundreds of eyes 👀 reflected back at us from across the river. We knew that they were all saltwater Crocs staring back at us. I was working at Alice Springs when this incident happened in 2003.
I didnt see this comment but I just put a similar kind of post about shining a light into bodies of water and seeing the red dots looking back at you hahaha. Very true for people that don’t know hahaha
Cmon mate any Aussie knows you are fucking lying right now the vast majority of those eyes were freshies they hunt bats at night sure there might have been some salties but they RARELY congregate in large numbers unless it’s at a shallow chokepoint trying to snag barra etc
As an Australia, I admire his attempt to try and rationalize the mindset of an Australian who walked into death-infested waters. Truth is, the 3 guys didn't think about any animals in the water. They were definitely more worried about who is pissing in the water
Why is that? Do all Aussie's share a deep seeded fear or disdain for others pee'ing in the water? I would imagine with such a swift flowing river one person's miniscule amount of urine would be sweet away & dispersed so quickly to make no matter. And you do know wild animals aren't crawling out of the river to go pee elsewhere?
One thing my father always warned me about was river currents. Never trust the way the water looks on the surface. Currents do not reflect their strength on the top of the water. A friend of mine and I almost ended up in a Mrballen video about 10 years ago in a big river near where I live. It looked so calm and flowing slowly. Thank God an angel of a man saved on his jetski. We were with 5 others but they got back to "beached" area but him and I got caught stuck in the current. We were taking turns screaming at our families and waving our arms (they thought we were messing around and joking because we were so far away), holding each other above the water. About 10 feet deep.. I think til this day "if that man decided not to go out jetskiing that day, it would have been our last.."
@@SeddieWeddie That is terrifying on a whole other level. I can't even imagine going near it. I am happy seeing it in pictures online. That's close enough for me.
I've got caught in an undertow at the beach before and it was not pleasant. No amount of swimming prowess is saving you if you get caught in a strong undertow.
When they say “I’m sure we’ll be fine” I’m pretty sure they won’t be fine. When they ask “What could go wrong?” I’m pretty sure we’re going to find out what could go wrong.
I remember a very specific memory when I was living in the Northern Territory. My uncle owned a campground there, and often took us on small bush walks. The campground had a large area for the Indigenous tribe that live there, where no white campers were allowed unless they had permission. My uncle, however, owned most of the property and had a reason to enter. He took us on this long walk in the sunburnt country, and brought his small tinnie so we could go fishing in one of the rivers. The water was very brown and murky: you could barely see a few centimetres down. About an hour passed, and I remember my uncle pulling out a large fish, I think it was a queen fish; just as he hauled it out of the water, a saltwater crocodile just crept out from the depths and drifted under the boat, disappearing back into the river. We were incredibly lucky to be in a boat instead of in the open water.
I've got a personal rule, never swim in water where crocodiles, alligators, water snakes etc live. I usually just stick to a pool, but even in Florida I hear that may not be enough.
@@fela001 as someone from river country I can't say this enough to people! Where I live now in indiana we have the wildcat creek and every spring people die getting swept down stream because they don't know how to get out of running water and the rains make the water high so the current is faster. I will say those boys did attempt to exit the river properly. When I was a kid we were taught to do the same thing, don't fight the current, you will never get back to where you were just let it take you and look down stream for a good spot to get off and make your way to that side without fighting the current and exhausting yourself.
This is why I am glad I live in Geelong, Victoria. Vic is probably the safest state tied with Tassie but tbh everyone forgets Tassie exists so Vic is the safest state. The main things that will harm you if you swimming is not actually the animals, (thankfully crocs don’t live down here), but the rip and the rough Bass Strait waters. If you’re unlucky you’ll get stung buy a jellyfish, if you’re very unlucky you’ll get bitten by a shark, if you are extremely unlucky that jellyfish will be a box jellyfish. If you’re an idiot, you’ll piss off a roo or emu and have to deal with that, and if you’re not careful you’re going to get attacked violently by a magpie.
These young men definately ignored some really serious indicators not to go near the water, but this tale is everyone's worst nightmare come true. RIP Brett Thank you Mr Ballen for continuing the great, and important art of storytelling. I was riveted. ☮️
@@ventingshow4995 hey dude that was my brother taken away from me brett mann I don’t think you would be saying if that was your brother mate have some respect
The Like Button said something insensitive about his mustache. (They are both being fairly juvenile about it, really. Also, the Like Button has been just as mean, but doesn't have its own channel.)
I'm sure it's a play on "hit" the like button. Something he thought of to set him apart from EVERY other UA-cam creator that says please hit the like button and subscribe...unless y'all were asking sarcastically, in that case, never mind me 😁🎃👻
When those 2 boys were on the branch and one fell in the water, I literally held my breath until he got out of the water! My heart is pounding so hard...ouf!
I am Australian and this is the scariest shit I’ve ever watched. Mind you, I live in NSW, but holy hell. That was a very dangerous thing they did and RIP poor Brett. That breaks my heart. 💔
These stories are terrifying. They’re so well told with such a calm demeanor that you’re just mentally put into that predicament. And they’re addicting. Cheers. Great channel!
I was dying inside as the story progressed. Especially when the one boy had fallen into the water and was trying to get out. MrBallen is a consummate story teller
Holy fucking shit. When Mr. Ballen first said there are animals in the water, I thought crocodiles. But holy shit I had no idea Crocs would STALK YOU like that. Truly truly terrifying. If I was the boy who fell off the tree into the water, I probably would’ve had a heart attack from the panic and been an absolute goner
that's just what they do, salties regularly hunt terrestrial bipedal animals, they don't make a distinction and are highly opportunistic and patient, this story serves as a reminder not to be a moron in the top end, always assume crocs, always respect crocs turf, because once you go in that river and lose respect and awareness for them, you are no longer at the top of the food chain
Same, but he often gives away whether or not the person survived right away with the perspective he provides. In this case, saying "and he's just expecting at any moment this crocodile is going to bite him"--a first-person perspective--tells you that the boy lived to tell the tale
@@dismalthoughts I used the same tactic to know if a person survives or not, and MrBallen threw me for a loop where in one story the person did NOT survive... wish I could remember which one! ...but its definitely not 100%
It's not just the water, it's the land too. Only last week a 5 foot brown snake came up onto our patio within a few feet of us while we were sitting out there talking. We have found them in our pool and also large toads that are poisonous too. Oh well, the joys of living in Australia. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Same for Louisiana and Florida, always assume there is a gator in any body of water... even if you dont see one, assume it's there. But, gators are very much less aggressive than their Australian cousins and dont actively hunt humans. Gators in our area have been so desensitized to humans, they really want nothing to do with us. They know we hunt them. The only issues I've ever had with a gator is them coming after my bait whenever we go to catch blue point crabs. But, just pull out the pistol and fire off a couple rounds at em, and they will haul ass.
@@alexandriaburnett2801 say what ? i hate snow so much that id rather have a poisonous snake on my patio every morning 🤣 im from quebec and winter is comming...ewww i want summer all year please
@@sparkyshark236 LOL 13 foot is in no way small for a saltie. In fact if it were a female, she'd be absolutely *colossal* and the biggest female ever recorded. People have this completely false idea that salties typically get 20+ foot. There's been *one* saltie that hit 20 foot. The same way there's been *one* human who was 8′11″. Anything over 15 foot is a behemoth.
@@neenekinskins6241 Only if the authorities didn't do their job. When a wild animal eats a human, it's standard protocol to find and destroy them. Because if they did it once, they're highly likely to try it again. Whether it's a tiger or a crocodile or what, you eat a person, you get to eat some lead too. It's public safety. Even if not, crocodiles are highly cannibalistic so he could absolutely have been killed by another saltie. And salties are especially known for not putting up with other crocodiles in their territory. Usually the most you'll find is a male tolerating, and I stress just "tolerating" a female in his territory.
@@Veladus Correct. If it was a female, then she was absolutely massive. Even if it was a male, he was probably getting close to full length. Might have squeeked out a few more feet
I could actually feel their terror and pain when the story was being told. A very gripping story and so very sad, i feel for Bretts family and especially his 2 friends that witnessed it.
I'm not a trained professional but I've been around rivers my entire life. I mightve even stopped because of the water being so swollen its in the forest. That's a nope and turn back
I work night shifts and I cannot thank you enough for keeping WIDE TF AWAKE with tales such as this, you really have a gift for storytelling and also for terrifying me. You rule.
8:01 Michael Myers top right corner
winner!
Props on that one dude! I never would’ve seen that 👊🏼
Damnit lol I paused at this moment also and tried to look but didn’t see that! Hahaha
Yea had this screenshotted and everything and still didn’t see it
Damn thought I got it first!!!
As an Australian who has spent many years working and living in the NT and Queensland. I can say 100% you DO NOT EVER swim in a non designated swimming area. If its not crocs, its bull sharks, box jelly fish, stone fish, Iracanji jellyfish or something similar that will take you. Tourists always dont listen and either disappear or get hurt. On another point, the river you speak about is that colour due to the tea trees and other trees around it that makes it almost black. You are correct if you dive 1 foot under the water you literally disappear. Many people have died, disappeared or have lost limbs. Its not only in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia are just as bad. Please if you visit Australia please abide by the signs and always throw a rock, branch, etc... into the water before you go anywhere near it. If something moves do not go in.
Good advise
The dude would have no trouble to abide in australia 🙏🦋❤️
Some damn good advice from a native who knows. Hey EVERYONE!! READ THAT COMMENT & ABIDE BY IT. It would be wise to do as they suggest, before entering into, any unknown body of dark or questionable water.
It could mean the difference, between ☠️ & YOUR VERY LIFE.
Aussie here also. Facts and truth mate.
Also, if you hear "dogs barking" near creeks or rivers at night up north, don't go to find the "dogs". You'll end up in the water, going rotten, being dinner.
Always keep your vehicle, swag, tent etc COMPLETELY SEALED. Shake out all clothing and check your boots before putting your foot in...even though you kept them in a bag when you took them off.
Always spend 5 minutes watching your proposed tent or camp site closely for ant activity, as you don't want to be stomping around on top of a bull ant nest, and having 100,000 of them come and show their lack of appreciation for your visit. Use insect repellent lavishly around vehicle tires if parked up, tent poles n ropes, ropes to trees especially. Coat these in it.
Carry a stick with lots of twigs in front of you when walking through the bush, it will take out the webs before you end up with an unwanted friend the size of a plate on your face.
March flies...huge but absolutely silent...stealthy, painful and disgusting. Its "bite" is it sawing through your skin to lay eggs under it. Aussies can discern usually between "eye floaters" and bugs like this...or we err in caution and jump away from nothing, looking weird...but its better than being an incubator for fly eggs.
If you see a plant with hairs or small spines on it, ffs do not go and investigate...it doesn't want to know you, and you definitely don't want to know it. Same goes for any bugs, and many of our cute critters in the wild.
In saying all that, you only have to follow the rules of the land, same as anywhere. We have no big land predators. So wherever we go we are in charge, apart from salty territory I guess. The country EASILY makes up for it with everything else.
@@FlattardiansSuck What are the sounds of the "dogs barking"? Is it the crocs?
This is why I am an avid Indoorsman. The closest I get to a croc is Lacoste.
Lol
Mmmmm very avid indeed
🤣🤣🤣
💀
Sounds adventurous
The only thing that could possibly make this scarier would be if the crocodile was constantly asking them if they knew how to get to Bell's Canyon.
Best comment so far
Not alligator…..crocodile….
😂
Alligators are only half as scary as saltwater Crocs.
@@chevgage6210 not even half, unlike alligators, saltwater crocodiles actively hunt humans
When I saw the video title my first thought was. „Bro what do you mean never swim in this river in Australia? Just never swim in Australia period.“
Too nice of beaches not to go swimming here in Aus bro 😉
Crocs are only in far northern parts of Aus so pretty easy to avoid.
Lol we do have some safe places to swim here @moonshine7721, we have some spectacular beaches and rivers . Sad about Brett though. 🇦🇺🦘
@@tans6207 Yeah, I can imagine! I‘d just personally be too scared to go anywhere near the water.
Im going to Darwin with my mom and brother in August of 2025. I know enough about saltys to avoid any body of water in the NT period.
We have beautiful safe rivers here.
Can we all just say how great it is to finally have missing individuals noticed by their loved ones, reported, and a search party immediately get underway?
Us Aussies don’t mess around mate
It was almost 20 years ago, soooo
Ballen tells the stories so well that he always puts in when a friend or family member reports them missing. Turns out it's better to be missing in Nowhere, Australia than Anywhere, America.
I'm not sure we all need to be saying it, but I do somewhat agree with you: noticing when a loved one is missing is great - it's an encouraging start, at least..
@@libradawg9 Not much of US civilization is up against large expanses of wilderness, most of the wilderness there is is less dangerous than that of Australia, and many of the people who do long treks into it are the introvert type who tell little to no one what they're doing.
Crocs are absolutely the apex of apex predators and they’re so incredibly cunning.
If a fisherman goes to a particular spot on a river regularly in a salty’s territory the croc will remember the time of day and then will wait to ambush them. It’s why zookeepers will randomly change up feeding times so they don’t become food themselves.
Crocs can tell time? That's insane
o wow. i had no idea actually. so when stranded in the new reich. i mean australia always change when going fishing D:
@Castor Troy enlighten us Steve the Crocodile Hunter
Wow!! I never knew that, you learn something new everyday. Thanks. 😊
@@milehighgambler I wouldnt be taking any barbs or advice from Steve the croc hunter.
As an Australian, it’s best to not swim in any rivers here, if the crocs don’t get you, the bull sharks will.
Funny thing is that I live in the Northern Territory and the harbour is essentially Barron. You mainly have to watch out for rivers and creeks.
Or the farkin bronze wailers 😀😀
True but it didn't stop us swimming in the rivers when we were kids
@@stealthwarrior5768 It should have.
😭
I'm African and I was born in the Uk. As a child I had swimming lessons and became a good swimmer. When I was twelve my family decided to relocate back to Nigeria. For the most part we lived in the city of Lagos but by the time I was fifteen I was sent off to boarding school in my village. One day I was out and about with two of my friends when we came across a lake. Having not had the opportunity to go swimming in years, I thought that it was a beautiful opportunity to jump into the water to cool off and have a swim. To my friend's horror, I did just that. I swam out to the centre of this lake and started enjoying my swim. Meanwhile my friends on the bank were losing their minds telling me to come back to shore. At the time, I remember thinking that their concern was out of jealously because they couldn't swim. Anyway, after a little while I decided to heed their pleas and swim back in. Long story short, nothing happened to me in the water HOWEVER every time I look back at that incident I shiver at how foolish I had been to go into that water, in a desolate place where anything could have been in the water. On reflection, I really feel that I dodged the bullet that day.
Africa : those wormy things that live in the water…
you are lucky to be alive
@@truthsocialmedia: Pretty much.
@@blackmagic6 That what I would call Africinsane!
How did you not know the danger you were putting yourself in? I’m from Zimbabwe and even the youngest kids know not to swim ANYWHERE.
"Never swim in this Australian river". As an Aussie listening to this and being that it was Darwin area, I was just waiting to hear the word crocodile. It was very foolish of them to go to that river. RIP Brett.
Not entirely true, you can swim in all the rivers you like down in the southern half of Australia, still gotta watch for snakes though.
@@andrewsmall6834 Southern, yes. But Darwin even gets crocs on beaches at times.
As an Australian, I only swim in water that I can see my feet in. I don’t care if it’s an ocean, lake or river. As soon as I can’t see my feet anymore, I’m outta there. I work on the theory that I’ll be able to see the danger coming if I can still see my feet.
I hate when people say the phrase "Darwin Award"... but I find the name of this area ironic.
@@andrewsmall6834 Nah mate I wouldn't, there are bull sharks in the Brisbane River.
Just to be clear you don't have to be IN the water for them to get you, you just have to be near it. They will launch themselves onto the shore/banks lightning quick and can actually move fast on land over short distances. Standing on the edge of the water is almost as dangerous as being in it.
Execpt you have to be very close like a few feet and being in water vs a big killer croc like a saltwater or Nike your dead if your on land you have a slight chance
If I was in salt croc territory I'm bringing an ak 47 lol
@kylephillip6433 id bring a mark 7 battleship turret on a honda pickup
@@kylephillip6433idk much about them but if their kill spot is anything similar to an alligators, you better have good aim.
@@kylephillip6433 How about just leaving them alone? That's an idea too dude
My father was the police officer who helped the boys from the tree. I’m in awe that you have covered this story! The search for the body was one of the biggest in NT’s history. They tried so hard to find him.
Grew up at Borroloola a remote town on the Mcarther River in the Gulf of Carpentry in the North of Australia there are some Big Crocs in the River and a few people have been taken over the years always watch and never be complacent because they will hunt out of water and also pull you out of the boat given the opportunity in the blink of an eye
@@michellepollard3591 I am very thankful that American alligators are not as aggressive. I grew up fishing from a canoe, often within arms length of them.
@@zachjameson5442 there are actually crocs in south florida that live in saltwater/brackish water, no idea if they are as aggressive as those in the story thpugh. I live in central Florida & don't like to swim in the lakes because of gators
I guess there was nothing to find and the croc ate him
What the hell were they looking for? The croc obviously had ate him. Just curious what they hoped to find 🥴
This guy really knows how to tell a story. I usually cannot concentrate on listening but i was so into it that i followed every word for 20min
same! im a very visual learner so his body movement and hand talking really helps me zero in on the story.
same and i love the like button jokes at the beginning and end lol
Smoke less pot?
Please, folks, never ever go into flood water. Whether you're walking, swimming, or driving, flood water is dangerous and the current can be much stronger than it appears. Stay alive, friends!
Yes ,after hurricanes, alligators be in your yards and swimming pool also.
True, usually when it’s up to your ankles as well it can sometimes knock you over
Always tell someone where you’re going too.
@@ryveralexander8511 especially here in Georgia and Florida. Gators get all disoriented and end up in very awkward places, but it's the snakes trying to escape the water that pose the biggest problem.
Spot on, ppl see a slow current and don't realise the amount of force created by so much moving water. As I write this most of upper NSW and and lower QLD are totally flooded with many families displaced and a few unlucky souls losing their life. Seems like these once a decade floods r now occuring every 3-4 yrs !
Fun fact: The crocodile probably went under the water with Brett, stuffed him under a rock or log, and left him there to "soften up" over a few days before coming back to eat its meal. That's probably why the body vanished initially and why it never floated up to be found later.
Edit: Because people are asking how I know this: I saw it in a nature documentary about crocodiles in the Rainbow River in Africa killing and hiding the bodies of wildebeest who have to cross the river in their annual migrations. The crocks kill a beast during the crossing, hides the body, and goes back for another one. They only have till the herd finishes crossing the river to make as many kills as possible, so they strike-and-stash till there are no more beasts to hunt. Some crocks get up to 5 beasts in one 45 minute crossing. Mr. Ballen's description of the crock going under the water with Brett but coming up without Brett sounds exactly like that. It hid the body in the water and went back for seconds.
They are that smart?
Crocodile psychologist?
@@kateofone Storing food away and coming back for it later is a survival instinct that most animals have. Squirrels do it with nuts. Crocks usually do it because "softer" meat is easier to rip apart and swallow than fresh, firm beasties.
@@WayToVibe that’s really interesting intro! Ty!
@@kateofone yep that’s exactly what they do. Awful way to go.
If you’re new here:
yes, we all randomly stumbled upon a MrBallen video one day and now we can’t stop watching.
I love Mr Ballen but I loved it more when he could do 3-5 videos a week. Now waiting a week for one seems like forever lol
Including the killer croc! Lol.
I wish I'd noted how many subs he had when I found him so I could gauge how long I've been subbed. but at least I remember "even five times every week"
Most truthful comment I’ve seen!!!🤣😂🤣
This is the way!
God when Shawn fell into the water that part had my heart racing. Can’t even imagine the fear of being in a situation like that
Pull your legs up!!! Pull your legs up!!!
"Never swim in this Australian river"
You don't have to tell me twice lol
You don’t even have to tell me once honestly
you dont have to tell me twice that the thumbnail is photoshopped and like 10 years old
@@tayberjk2559 I dunno honestly, if I was out having a good time with some fun locals and they went for it I would probably follow 😂
If Australia were real, I would never swim in this river.
I think it would be easier to tell me which Australian rivers are safe to swim in. Australia is like the Compton CA of the animal kingdom.
I was lying on my bed, listening to this story, with a leg and an arm hanging off my bed. This story was so well-told that I pulled my legs and arms close to my torso for protection from the crocodile on the other side of the Earth.
never watch his videos at night.
Lol 😆
🤣🤣
Pffft
😂😂😂
Story is told so well that I could almost physically feel myself going through what these guys went through. Feeling of sitting on a tree branch basically waiting for death with that slightest chance of someone comming to the rescue.
This story brought me some crazy flashbacks, i've never been around crocodiles, but I've lived in mangrove area and one time there was a flash flood and the current in the middle was so hard I could not swim against, so I needed to go to the side to trees, by the time I got to the trees, I was swept away far enough I've had to spend hours going from branch to branch until I could get out of the flooded area onto firm sand. It would rain a little sometimes and even light rain would make everything slippery. It was very stressful and still nothing compared to having a saltwater water crocodile trying to eat you after it ate your friend
Right?? I literally noticed my heartrate increase and my palms sweat (they're still sweating, I'm recovering from this lol). MrBallan is an amazing story teller.
Same
@@amandarios448 I
Same here i noticed my toes curling as soon as he said there was an extreme rainstorm and i thought of the water, and croc, rising to within range of the kids.
"It'll be alright" are words that should never be spoken in Australia
nah... she'll be right mate.
@@tiptip9495came here to say this as an Aussie myself lol
The response in Australia to "She'll be right" is often "Famous last words".
😂 yet I literally do that almost daily
I'm Australian and have grown up around these predators. I think for a foreigner, the thing that would surprise you the most is how aggressive and territorial they are. They are nothing like alligators, in fact comparing them is like comparing a Lion with a Pitbull. They can both bite, and can both kill, but one will only bite when provoked. The other will strategically hunt you then maul you to death the moment you step within its kill range. Saltys will not allow anything into their territory. If they know you are there, and they without doubt will, it's only a matter of seconds until they will be there, ripping you in half. They are also one of only a handful of animals on earth that actively pursue humans as a prey item. When I was about 19 I was jogging through the bush in Darwin, and came to a small creek crossing which I had crossed heaps of times before. This creek was so narrow you could step over it, and no deeper than 1 foot. I jogged up to it and stepped over it, and heard this huge splash, I turned around and there was a 15 foot salty launching out of the water, the only thing that saved me was it was facing the other way from me, I was at its tail end. It turned in the air so fast that I still only made it by about 1 meter. And at the time I considered myself to be 'croc wise', always expect them. I didn't expect one because it was so narrow. I broke the rule, always expect them. I have never again been within 5 meters of any body of water up here..
I gasped at this comment. Holy sh*t
Pls stay safe
@@selrox879 I was extremely lucky. They are very efficient hunters, and do not miss often. The mistake I made was crossing at the same spot. Crocs are very strategic, they will observe where you cross, and they will wait days, sometimes weeks, in that spot ready to nail you.
@@BH-dsk based crocs
wow, hate that! As a Territorian, where was this, so i know to avoid lmao
funny how you used feet to measure depth but meters to measure distance
I used to work with a croc hunter who had to go and try and catch crocs that had taken people. He said there was one case where a woman jogged along a beach every morning at the same time for weeks before a croc finally took her. He said crocs watch your habits for a long time and are extremely intelligent and basically stalk you to time exactly when they'll take you. Just because you do something safely for a while near crocs doesn't mean the crocs not watching and observing you and timing it's attack.
*starts sweating on my toilet
so when aussies tell you to 'jog on' they are basically saying 'i hope a croc gets ya' ?
What a horrible profession: croc hunter. That's as silly as those knobs in the movie Jaws who tried to personalize "the" particular shark who attacked and killed a person, as if the animal is thinking like a human. They aren't human. They're predatory animals. Hunting them out of human vengeance is cruel, silly, and disrespectful. We're in their turf, so we are the intruders. It's our job to be cautious. But hunting them down, one by one to seek out specific ones is horrible.
@@El_Ophelia Nobody has hunted crocs since 1971 , they trap and relocate them nowdays.
@@somerandom7215 That's very good to know!
If I ever go to Australia I won’t even be able to trust my shower
Shower? I can’t even trust this glass of water
@@KoberrNo Can you even trust the tear from your eye?
It’s really not that bad here.
@@coaldoubt2879 Southern end?
@@coaldoubt2879 no you guys just like to scare the Americans so they stay away 😂
A South African Special Forces Operators were working in Angola to blow a bridge in 1986 or 1987, not sure now. The only way to approach the bridge was on kayaks, and the last stretch would be outside the kayak. That was a change they took as there is crocs in the river.
They blew the bridge and had to make their way back in the river, and they decided to take the chance and stay in the river as it was the fastest method. One operator felt a tug on his flippers and then a full-on bite on the leg. He immediately got his diving knive out and started taking on the croc. He stabbed the croc a couple of times under the tummy, and the croc immediately left him as trying to stab the top was trying to stab a tank.
This croc was about 3m long, and he won the fight. The croc turned him, tried everything, but just got stabbed more.
I was based at 4 Reconnaissance Regiment, where the operator was based as well. He wrote a book about it as well, his operator life and missions.
What was the book called? I’d love to read that story, that sounds really interesting!
And then he woke up
@@warinspruit7428shut up kiddo suck it standing Ong
Yes, what is the title of this imaginary book?
I love how when things were getting exciting/dangerous your tempo picked up, you got louder, and your gestures got more intense. All signs of a great story teller.
This means nothing to you but I appreciate you noticing that about Mr. Ballen. It's one of the many reasons I watch him.
Before I read this comment I was just thinking this guy's job is basically "professional storyteller" lol. At least I hope he earns enough from the channel to make this his full time job if he wants it to be.
Monotone British people not your thing either?
MrBallen can literally talk about paint drying and can still grab your full attention
Why do I keep seeing you everywhere
How
Ahaha I will now laugh at your unfunny comment for the 123,345th time
@@screamingchimp4600 LMAO literally
@@theepicdoge8045 ahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahh
Not only are Saltwater Crocs known for hunting humans, they're also known for being extremely territorial and vindictive. They're one of a select few apex predators that will hunt out of spite, instead of just hunger.
I have never had so much anxiety hearing about something I wasn't a part of. These poor kids, I couldn't imagine this absolutely horrifying experience.
Same!💜
@@fate_clotho9596 hahahahha Ikr! It's so sad
Yeah, I’ve heard shark stories or getting stuck in a cave stories, but nothing scares me more than a croc
Nothing is worse than what has happened to all of them and I live 5 hours away from that river
I seriously can't imagine what they went through, absolutely horrific.
Your very respectful! I like it!
Yeah, it ruins a good day out for sure :(
Stupid people play stupid games, and in this case ,one lost.
You obviously haven't met my ex, give me the crocodile anyday
@@osamabinrobbing5934 lol sorry 🤗💀
I never realized salt water crocs were so nasty but the taunt stare with their friend in his mouth was the most savage thing. Straight up.
They are apex predators. It is their nature.
Salt water crocodile’s are brilliant! Ancient wiring at its finest 🦖
Listening to the survival stories I know crocodiles will pay attention to where people are camping and then sneak up at night get in their tent and attack they pay attention to where people are especially if they're there for more than a day
@@scorpionwarrior9179 Yep.
They get bloody big too.
We've had a couple of people killed by crocs in Australia in just the last week - we stopped hunting them so now the population is bigger than ever in the Northern Territory theres around 5 crocs for every 1km of river so yeah I wouldn't be going for a swim if you value your life -
It's hard to appreciate how big these crocs are until you see them in person if you see them bite on something it's the strongest snap you'll ever see
This sounds like someplace you CAN’T go, but 3 people went anyways…
👍
Facts!!
Hahaha nice!
Awesome comment
Correct!
One of the survivors is a good mate of mine - Shaun Blowers. We do the ‘Brett Mann Memorial Ride’ every year on the weekend before Christmas. There are 2 groups Shaun’s group and Ashley’s group. 4wd’s, Buggies and quad bikes, it’s a great ride to reflect on how thankful we all are to do the things we love. Rest In Peace Brett - Legend. Cheers
Good on ya mate 🇦🇺👏👏
This story touched me so much! Please tell Shaun and Ashley they are true heroes! I am so impressed with their quick actions, strength and their heroic resolve to do everything in their power to save their friend! Most people would not have been able to overcome those odds or survive in those circumstances, good thing Aussies are tougher than the rest of us! Love from America!
That's great that u guys get together and celebrate life, while also Brett's memory. Cheers
Stay away from the f*ckin water huh LoLz
I hope they are healing from the trauma and survivor's guilt. I'm glad Shaun has you.
I grew up in Weipa, near the tip of Australia. We lived and played on the banks of the croc-infested Mission River. We were actually taught crocodile safety in kindergarten/prep right alongside our abc's. It was drilled into us, just like looking left & right to cross the road. Don't go near the water at dawn, dusk or dark. Don't go to the same spot on the river at the same time every day. Mix up your water visits, because the crocs are watching you and they will learn your patterns, and one day they will take you.
It wasn't any more scary to us than the thought of getting hit by a car when crossing the road. It was just a danger we lived with. I live in south QLD now and there are almost no crocs in the water here, but I occasionally think back to my northern childhood and get a little shiver down my spine wondering how many times a croc was watching me. This story brings it all back.
Great story. Crocs are amazing aren’t they?
Cheers from Sydney (ex Darwin)
This is exactly right what’s written here. Again on the Finnis River there was a tin mine, it was no where near where this latest story was, not a big mine, only worked by a few people. There was a croc there, they were aware of it. Every day the pump had to be turned on and the pump was down by the river. One of the guys was chased one morning by the bloody thing, he wasn’t caught but it put the wind up the lot of them. Crocs may be big but they’re fast. But a croc will wait, and wait, cunning mongrel bloody things they are.
@@paulinehiggins8239 Yeh hate the fkn things we need a yearly 3mth croc 🐊 cull as they are everywhere up here
One day the croc will take you. It's still watching.
@@triggerhappy8872. We lived there for 35 years and everywhere then could only have got worse since we left. I don’t understand why they don’t have culls, even every few years would help, the bloody things are so cunning they’d learn after a while to back off. For a while there a number of tourists were taken both in the West and in the NT, I thought they may do it then. If you’re a Darwin person you’d be well aware of the tourist/croc jokes that went around, when that happens to my way of thinking it’s time to cull. Hate em.
Your ability to paint a picture in stories is unmatched.
His mother is an award winning writer who writes for him
@@wms72 that’s one theory. It could be that having parents with credentials like that may be genetic as well. Even if let’s say for a second it’s true he was reading from a script, he still does a great job at it. My question is why would that bother you?
He said he doesn't read from a script, he reads the story over and over until he can fully imagine it, he's very talented
@@Jon-fh6nf
His mom wrote his college essay; i doubt he has any writing skills.
. It's a video. The picture is real it's not inside the story
For the crocodile to patiently waiting to attack them was terrifying.
Thats what they do with monkeys. Sometimes they fall out of trees into the water and the crocodiles will just wait until they do. Helps the crocs preserve energy and that helps them wait even longer. It was hungry for some hairless monkeys.
It's their thing, they mostly just wait camouflaged underwater until they notice a disturbance
@@mirandagordon1880 are you calling us ‘hairless monkeys’?
in WW2 one of the Islands had a battle between the US troops and Japanese, they decided that they would enter a swamp Thousands went in and the Salt water crocs spent all night eating and only a few hundred of the japanese troops survived. the screams the US troops heard all night left may with nightmares for years.
Mr Ballen did a video on it last year i think.
That's what they do
I'm Australian and I remember asking my wife (who is Canadian) as we drove alongside one of the locks of the Great Lakes, if I could swim in there. She said sure if you wanted. I asked what might get me, she said nothing. This went on for some time, with me almost unable to fathom that it would be entirely clear of any kind of danger, be it creature, current etc. She said "boat pollution?" We both laughed. Different parts of the world... :)
Lots of people drown in the dinosaur cum the great lakes r known for
One of the many great things about the USA! The beautiful beaches of the 6 Great Lakes (I’m including Champlain 😛), with no dangerous wildlife or salty water!
@@ryanr5139 Yeah just so different. I mean Canada has bears and cougars whereas Oz has almost no larger land mammals that can take you out. But the insects and the water ways...just a problem. :D
@@simonbanks3058 in general, the Great lakes are pretty nasty. I used to live around Cleveland which is on lake Eerie. The city is famous for polluting the lake & its tributaries so severely that the water literally caught on fire. If there was ever a species in lake Eerie capable of eating you, I'm pretty sure we killed it.
@@Diahrrea_Jones Yeah I did forget to mention, that she did say " pollution from the boats might get you :D " It is such a shame that they are polluted as they contain so much fresh water. Here in Oz, fresh water isn't scarce but is definitely valuable and is not to be wasted. So I hope the treatment of the great lakes improves over time.
I grew up in the NT (Northern Territory) and can 100% confirm that rivers and estuaries in the Northern Territory are legitimately PACKED with salt water crocodiles.... The Adelaid River and Mary River being two of the worst with an average of 1 adult saltwater crocodile on each side of the river every 20~25 meters. They do tours there where they float you along in a large pontoon boat and get the crocs to jump out of the water for chunks of meat...
Its utter insanity when you see a 15~17ft long, 500kg reptile launch its entire body mass out of the water (leaving only their tail in the water)...
You hear those jaws snap closed with 3700psi of force and you instantly realise just how fragile humans are compared to these things... They are AMAZING to watch - but you HAVE to respect them. You know they are there, you know they are faster and stronger than you, and it has absolutely NO issues sneaking up on you and taking you if they want to... They are calculated, they will stalk you - follow you around if you're fishing either off the bank or in a boat. They will watch your habits and figure out when you're at your most vunerable... When you least expect it - they can strike with speed you can't even imagine an animal of that size moving at.
Fun part - they rarely eat people... They will kill you and stuff your corpse under a tree or a mangrove root, and wait for fish and crabs to come to feed off you - and they will eat the marine life that comes to pick at your corpse...
Life in Australia is crazy sometimes - but life in the Northern Territory is a completely different game... Hundreds of Shark species, 3 jellyfish species that are toxic enough to kill you within minutes of a sting, about 50 species of venomous snakes (including the most venomous land snake, the most venomous sea snake and 6 of the top 10 most venomous snakes on earth), Wild Dogs, Crocodiles, hundreds of venomous spiders...
Come to Australia - its fun ;)
been to Darwin and we travelled over to Adelaide for the jumping crocs was unreal
I’ll pass
I visited a friend in North Queensland. Don't go in the water no matter how pretty it is.
Australia is so fascinating and there are many things I would love to visit one day, but the wildlife... no thanks 😬
I was stationed in Australia from 6/85 to 9/86 on the NW Cape (Exmouth, Western Australia). I remember hearing about many of the dangerous animals & other creatures there. I only saw one poisonous snake as it slithered by my feet while I was sitting on the "Share Ride" bench at the front gate of the base. Mostly all I saw was kangaroos, emus & zillions of flies. I went there wanting to swim in the Indian Ocean but ended up never daring to ever even sticking a toe in.
Crocs learn things very quickly and change their behavior to overcome a situation, So a big Croc in a zoo in Indonesia would let his handler feed him close to the water one day, Then the next day the Croc would sit a bit further back in the water, Same with the next day, He was setting a planned out attack on his handler, Luckily an experienced keeper noticed what the Croc was doing and they changed they way they feed him, Mad to think a Croc is that calculating!
Fun fact, crocodiles and alligators stash their food!
They secure them under roots, logs, and rock at the bottom of the river.
There are two reasons for this. They know that food wont always be easy to get, so when they have excess prey they save it for later. Also, if they cant swallow the prey whole, they often wait till the meat is soggy and rotten, that way they can easily tear chucks off.
So Bret's bones (or whats left of the bones) are likely under a random mangrove nearby the original tree
Yep fun fact. It really got fun when you said "they can easily tear chucks off" 🤢
I had heard of that before and wondered if that's another reason why the croc was camped out hunting those poor boys.
Facts you can learn if you watch Crocodile Dundee 🐊
There was fisherman who was fishing in a river. He later wakes up in cove dug into the river bank. The dead deer lying near him clued him into the fact that a gator had whacked him senseless with its tail. The gator was around so this guy had to drop through the entrance and back into the river then swim to the river bank before the gator came from for dinner.
What do they do with the plastic clothing I wonder? Do they rip it off or swallow it hole. If they swallow it. It must be a horrible belly ache. Poor thing. 😔
Being an Aussie I already know this story, but MrBallen’s awesome narration still had me on the edge of my seat.
Do you know Kai bax?
I was freaking out - Salties are scary 😨
Thank you!
G'DAY MATE
Me 2
I went to school with that kid, he was a grade below. A quiet kid and a gentle giant.
Brett Mann RIP
I’m so sorry, by the picture alone I could tell he was a good soul. I wish he had a second chance
In Australia, if you didn't teach your children to never everrr ever enter unknown waters. You have FAILED AS A PARENT. Im sorry but i had to say it
I hward the other two pushed him in@@words007
@@words007 and when you grow up around these rivers you can get complacent
@@maxpower1413 yep. Just think about that part when the crocodile comes up with the yellow jacket body in mouth to show his kill and watches them on the tree. Horror movies dont scare me, no demon story etc etc i dont even take those seriously any historical horror stories but these hunting stories crocodile watching them in that black water in such a isolated body of Australia is easily 1 of the most scary part of a story iv ever heard. The black water the hunt it could probably give an older men a heart attack. Just because its true. Not a made up story.
Brett used to work near my mums cafe. He used to come in for lunch most days. Absolute tragic story.
This guy is the best storyteller I’ve heard. He’s a good guy who deserves success
Even liars can be good story tellers though right?
Mr, Ballen is an American Hero and seems like a very cool, down to earth guy. Quit being so negative….peace!✌🏼
@@Mouser21 being an American hero really isn't that relevant to non-Americans dude. No disrespect towards it at all but it really doesn't mean much to others, also doesn't make lying ok. You can call it negativity all you want but it's true, not all facts are happy. He lies
@@kizzabennett8996 oh ok! Thanks so much for enlightening me! Have a great evening!✌🏼
@@Mouser21 also if you watch his channel you're soaking in a whole lot of negativity already, most of these stories he tells aren't positive at all. And they frequently show that just because somebody "seems like a very cool, down to earth guy" doesn't at all mean that they really are
My God this story was terrifying and heart breaking. I can't even imagine how terrified and hopeless these boys must have felt. How traumatized they must been seeing their best friend in the mouth that salt water croc and not being able do anything help him or themselves.
Female body parts.
JB yepitsme same thoughts going threw my mind
If it wasn’t a crocodile it’s a bull shark.
I had to stop listening 2 times before I could finish it! Talk about anxiety and helplessness and sadness!! Ugh! My heart hurts for them!
@@alyssachapoy8680 now I'm in a rabbit hole I'm looking at croc attacks because there was just a gator attack here in Florida where I'm at and there's been several over the last couple months and I grew up here and I'm thankful as a kid I wasn't attacked because I did dumb stuff but now that I'm older I probably keep me in my dog away from the embankment because alligators and crocodiles can jump and rip you off of the bank and I take myself out of those situations because this is a nightmare of mine ever since being a kid I used to dream about getting eaten by a gator if I was swimming
When I first went to the NT I knew the water was dangerous but I had this notion that like in nature documentaries you would see crocodiles if you just looked, going across the surface or something after all they are just dumb lizards. About a month after i got there I did some work on the rivers south of Darwin and the guy I was with said "yeah there's heaps of crocodiles around wanna see one?" and splashed a stick in the water for about 10 seconds. I will never forget what happened, this bloody huge animal materialised next to the boat, no ripple, no splash, no warning at all, and as soon as it went 1 cm under the water you could not tell AT ALL that it was there. I lived and worked their for another few years and I would NEVER go near any body of water no matter how clear or how safe people said it was. There's a reason those thing have been around for millions of years.
Scary stuff
as someone whos lived in rural northern territory we have this one rule. to never not expect a croc to be in any body of water.
The warmer water the more dangerous water, up here in North the most dangerous is bacteria if someone pooped on the water...
I hope any tourists visiting NT read your Warning as it says Everything !!!
..and you called it dumb ! Croc are much more smarter than you think. The older ones surfaced the head without a ripple to patiently spy on you.
But not all croc eat people.
I felt that from beginning to end. Great video. RIP young man.
Crocs are smart, always watching, I heard a story about some local kids who made a rope swing into the water near Port Douglas off one of the beaches in an area not generally frequented by crocs, they spent the afternoon there and came home and told their parents, next day, one of the mothers went to check out the swing and sure enough, there’s a salty hanging underneath the swing waiting for the kids to come back.
YES! This. designated swiming areas are for a reason (but not bull{shark}et proof.
yolo territory peeps know and use temp swing setups already. often not to land in the water. but def mix up their swing setups locals.
Wow. Terrifying
Waiting hungrily lol
That's a croc birthday party - waiting for the piniata (Iknow - spelling?)
@@flowerpower8722 piñata, the ñ makes that ny sound :)
I can’t stress how relaxed this man makes me feel. Despite how strange, dark, and mysterious his stories get. I’ve made it a point to only watch his videos on days where I have very little to do, so at this point I instinctually link him to good times. It’s always a good day when I can just smoke a bowl or two, make a bite to eat and just sit back and get immersed in his content. And in case the man himself sees this- hope you’re doin good, thank you for being such a binge-worthy channel :)
^this is how I party too 🤪
He's a great storyteller for sure, but some of his stories are so intense and scary I feel I'm gonna die of anxiety. 💀
cheers guys
I gotta say, getting stoned and watching these videos has got to be one of my favorite things to do in my downtime
Must say well said! 😎🍻
Caption: “never swim in THIS Australian river”
Me: NEVER SWIM IN ANY RIVER IN AUSTRALIA
Me: NEVER SWIM
Northern Australia*
yes anywhere in northern Australia
I don't swim. Period! 😳
I don't understand why people can be so naive. I don't live in Australia and I know to not get in the water.
When I was a kid you could swim in a lot of rivers in northern QLD but after 30-45 years of hunting of crocs being banned, there numbers have exploded, I would never swim in any of the rivers there now or the beaches as well
RIP Brett! He was so lucky in this life to have been gifted with two such brave loyal friends who risked their own lives selflessly to try & save his.
Lucky? Perhaps. Unlucky? More so.
That was crazy intense and it’s horrible for Brett to have his life end in such a way. This makes it clear that he was lucky to have such good friends despite the tragic, unlucky situation in the black water.
Perhaps foolish to go into a black body of water imo but what do I know rip tho
@@RoseEden. I don’t think anyone is questioning it wasn’t a good idea & undoubtedly think his friends would be the first to say. Must be a horrible thing to live with especially survivors guilt.
natural selection
Imagine having Mr. Ballen at your bonfire telling stories.
Id love that
He’s good but I’ve heard better. He’s just retelling a story he already heard. The best tell you a story they came up with from within their own imagination.
Yeah but his stories aren't fiction
@Elle Bee chill 🙄
And he tell the Bell's Canyon story
I’ve never been a “UA-cam guy “ where dudes hop on UA-cam everyday and watch video on a daily basis. But I have to admit this Channel is the most entertaining thing I’ve seen in a long time. It’s like a tv show, but it’s real and it’s cool. Congrats on having an authentic channel my man this definitely is something else 🙌🏼.
Btw I think we can all agree that your stories but also your storytelling are incredible
Thank you! That’s awesome!
He is isn't he for the past 3wks nw 21days in a row I've watched Mr Ballen he's my new daily fix lol
Who's we?
@@d1user
I’m thinking that would be you, Ivan Miguel Tio, me, Holly Marie preece, and all the other thousands of people who like to torture the Like button and are fans of the strange dark and mysterious delivered in story format and have come to the right place.
Agreed
I live in Australia and have been here for about 20 years. I rarely go out into the ocean for fear of sharks and I would definitely not bath in any river in the Northern territory.... Those boys should have known better than goin into the river knowing full well it had crocodiles. Tourists don't always know this, but local born would never do this. I feel sorry for the boy's family. This could have been avoided.
Man when you were telling the part where he fell out of the tree and how he was swimming back my anxiety was going nuts. You really know how to get someone on the edge of their seat.
I agree 100% my heart was beating.out my chest
I had to pause it to breathe first, it was crazy 😅
I know rite… He’s soooo good at this👍🏼
like you are watching horror movie
Every time I'm about to do something stupid when camping I picture Mr Ballen narrating the aftermath of the alternate universe where it goes wrong
camping's gay
@@tommcg1776 bro what
Me and you both @TtotheG
Wise.
Lol
I live in Australia and know this story, however could not stop listening to you telling it. You are the best story teller 📣
I like to follow crime stories and know some of MrBallen's stories but watch anyways cos he tends to give additional insights.
No,, you don’t count.... Australians I picture a scene reminiscent of 300 . “ Only Australian women give birth to real men...” and a sweet ft kick down the well . Takes care of the baddies .
I mean good god your nature is scary as frick, buff Roos, trees that can kill you, tons or shady poison snakes and the SPIDERS oh Lawd the big spiders... I am convinced you could just wreastle 2 cros and pull them on shore .. you have to be super human ..
The first time I listened to him (Bigfoot & his personal ghost story) I had nightmares! He is the best storyteller I’ve ever heard 😱
@@salemsrevenge it ain’t like that when you’re actually down here
Hey, quick question.. is Ashley a common male name in Australia?
You truly have a gift for storytelling! Not just in the words you spoke, but in your authentic delivery. Cheers to you mate! Truly gifted. (...and great story, as well. Beyond traumatic and certainly serves as a warning to us all.)
I never find the secret. Mr. Ballen is just too good a story teller.
I've never even bothered to look
I found the secret within 5 minutes once, was able to prove with screenshots and tagging that I was the first with the description and time and it went to someone who found it 30 minutes later. Tagged him multiple times, sent screenshots privately and was ignored. Even had others back up what I was saying in a few of the threads. I no longer try because even if you get it first, It doesnt matter sadly.
I don't look anymore I've been here since 30k subs and never been pinned lol don't care but I'm just saying
Like it's super distracting lol
I used to try and find it but I gave up. The story is so much more important than finding the secret. Mr.Ballen is really great and thoroughly enjoy listening to him.
3 boys: No problem, we grew up here.
Croc: Yeah mate, so did I.
Messed up! LMAO!!!
I used to be a police officer in the Northern Territory and on night shift we used to drive down to the Adelaide River, which is the main river flowing out to sea near Darwin. Once at the water line, we would put our high beams on and hundreds of eyes 👀 reflected back at us from across the river. We knew that they were all saltwater Crocs staring back at us. I was working at Alice Springs when this incident happened in 2003.
Yup
that's nightmare fuel
I have family in Alice and visited when I was 3. I would never go back to those areas these days though, the Bush is dangerous enough in Victoria
I didnt see this comment but I just put a similar kind of post about shining a light into bodies of water and seeing the red dots looking back at you hahaha. Very true for people that don’t know hahaha
Cmon mate any Aussie knows you are fucking lying right now the vast majority of those eyes were freshies they hunt bats at night sure there might have been some salties but they RARELY congregate in large numbers unless it’s at a shallow chokepoint trying to snag barra etc
As an Australia, I admire his attempt to try and rationalize the mindset of an Australian who walked into death-infested waters. Truth is, the 3 guys didn't think about any animals in the water. They were definitely more worried about who is pissing in the water
Why is that? Do all Aussie's share a deep seeded fear or disdain for others pee'ing in the water? I would imagine with such a swift flowing river one person's miniscule amount of urine would be sweet away & dispersed so quickly to make no matter. And you do know wild animals aren't crawling out of the river to go pee elsewhere?
oath
@@tatevancleve1802 It's got to do with the belief that, although sharks can smell blood in the water, every animal can smell pee
@@tatevancleve1802 It's his saying that the boys were more worried about irrelevant things like mud on them rather what's in the water.
@@tomislav5689 thanks for the clarification.
One thing my father always warned me about was river currents. Never trust the way the water looks on the surface. Currents do not reflect their strength on the top of the water. A friend of mine and I almost ended up in a Mrballen video about 10 years ago in a big river near where I live. It looked so calm and flowing slowly. Thank God an angel of a man saved on his jetski. We were with 5 others but they got back to "beached" area but him and I got caught stuck in the current. We were taking turns screaming at our families and waving our arms (they thought we were messing around and joking because we were so far away), holding each other above the water. About 10 feet deep.. I think til this day "if that man decided not to go out jetskiing that day, it would have been our last.."
This is terrifying like the Bolton Strid
So glad that jet-ski'er was out there and the two of you made it out. It just wasn't your time to go.
@@SeddieWeddie That is terrifying on a whole other level. I can't even imagine going near it. I am happy seeing it in pictures online. That's close enough for me.
So bad...wish the jetski man didn't go to jetski that day, I'd have to watch another episode here.
I've got caught in an undertow at the beach before and it was not pleasant. No amount of swimming prowess is saving you if you get caught in a strong undertow.
When Mr. Ballen quotes somebody as having said: "Oh, I'm sure we'll be fine," you know that the story is about to get grim... very grim indeed!
Youd really enjoy RezTKF 😉
When they say “I’m sure we’ll be fine” I’m pretty sure they won’t be fine. When they ask “What could go wrong?” I’m pretty sure we’re going to find out what could go wrong.
Fine = fu.ked up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional...lol
Yeah lol
I remember a very specific memory when I was living in the Northern Territory. My uncle owned a campground there, and often took us on small bush walks. The campground had a large area for the Indigenous tribe that live there, where no white campers were allowed unless they had permission. My uncle, however, owned most of the property and had a reason to enter. He took us on this long walk in the sunburnt country, and brought his small tinnie so we could go fishing in one of the rivers. The water was very brown and murky: you could barely see a few centimetres down. About an hour passed, and I remember my uncle pulling out a large fish, I think it was a queen fish; just as he hauled it out of the water, a saltwater crocodile just crept out from the depths and drifted under the boat, disappearing back into the river. We were incredibly lucky to be in a boat instead of in the open water.
Australian here. I’m frankly stunned that three Topenders would be stupid enough to go anywhere near a flooded river in that particular area.
Teen boys. They think they're invincible.
Darwin awards
I've heard that Australia is very dangerous for visitors who go there and just "explore" because of the various wildlife. How accurate is that?
@@avoidtheattic2688 you need to have commonsense wherever you go in the world
Nerd
"All of a sudden, Ashley just yells---" AD BREAK. Perfect cliffhanger moment.
UA-cam premium is sooo worth it.
OMG I stopped the video literally at that point to say exactly that, AND your comment was the one that appears on the preview of the comment section 😱
Ikr
@@lorenisevil i got premium as well, i forgot there was even ads lmao
They know what they're doing lol
I've got a personal rule, never swim in water where crocodiles, alligators, water snakes etc live. I usually just stick to a pool, but even in Florida I hear that may not be enough.
also, never swim in flooded rivers.. never a good idea..!!
Yes alligators and snakes can get into your Florida swimming pool too lol
@@fela001 as someone from river country I can't say this enough to people! Where I live now in indiana we have the wildcat creek and every spring people die getting swept down stream because they don't know how to get out of running water and the rains make the water high so the current is faster.
I will say those boys did attempt to exit the river properly. When I was a kid we were taught to do the same thing, don't fight the current, you will never get back to where you were just let it take you and look down stream for a good spot to get off and make your way to that side without fighting the current and exhausting yourself.
I’m from Florida and we jump into the river to catch em
Just ask Florida Man I’ll bet he knows 🤷🏿♀️
I know all crocodile attack stories, and they should all be told by the greatest storyteller of all time, Mr Ballen ❤❤❤❤
His future grand kids are so lucky, they have the best story telling grandpa ever.
Cappppppp
@@CottonCxndy how
I dint think he will wanna talk about it his friend got killed
Damn Crocs scary buggers!
@@CottonCxndy he is talking about mr ballen smart one
I think that is why Australians are so friendly. They know their days are very numbered there.
🤣🤣
Americans have bears and cougars, I'll happily remain in the top end of Australia rather than meet them in the wild.
🤣🤣🤣👍🏻🇦🇺🍺
@@andrewsmall6834 gimme a brown snake over a brown bear any day
@@Beeroclock81 or a big moose in canada 😂
Dude you are one kick a** story teller. You build empathy for the characters, tension, a crescendo 😳
My GF noticed his hands while talking.
...you really censored ass?
Yeah it's real hard to read a script until it sounds good.
He IS good isn't he. I felt like I was in that tree!
@@KrissyMeow yeah it's considered a swear word
This is why I am glad I live in Geelong, Victoria. Vic is probably the safest state tied with Tassie but tbh everyone forgets Tassie exists so Vic is the safest state. The main things that will harm you if you swimming is not actually the animals, (thankfully crocs don’t live down here), but the rip and the rough Bass Strait waters. If you’re unlucky you’ll get stung buy a jellyfish, if you’re very unlucky you’ll get bitten by a shark, if you are extremely unlucky that jellyfish will be a box jellyfish. If you’re an idiot, you’ll piss off a roo or emu and have to deal with that, and if you’re not careful you’re going to get attacked violently by a magpie.
These young men definately ignored some really serious indicators not to go near the water, but this tale is everyone's worst nightmare come true. RIP Brett
Thank you Mr Ballen for continuing the great, and important art of storytelling. I was riveted. ☮️
3 dummies from the sound of it.
@@ventingshow4995 hey dude that was my brother taken away from me brett mann I don’t think you would be saying if that was your brother mate have some respect
Idk if they were men or not but they didn't ignore anything
@@olkqa1709 be quiet
@@OneHunnitNoCapStannitOnBidnisz 🤣 this bloke
To this day I don’t know what his vendetta is against the like button Or why I’m so willing to follow him blindly on this crusade
lol..yep, it's a mystery to me as well in regards to the like button 🤣
It's just something stupid from a usually smart man. I don't get it either.
Subliminal messages
The Like Button said something insensitive about his mustache. (They are both being fairly juvenile about it, really. Also, the Like Button has been just as mean, but doesn't have its own channel.)
I'm sure it's a play on "hit" the like button. Something he thought of to set him apart from EVERY other UA-cam creator that says please hit the like button and subscribe...unless y'all were asking sarcastically, in that case, never mind me 😁🎃👻
When those 2 boys were on the branch and one fell in the water, I literally held my breath until he got out of the water!
My heart is pounding so hard...ouf!
I am Australian and this is the scariest shit I’ve ever watched. Mind you, I live in NSW, but holy hell. That was a very dangerous thing they did and RIP poor Brett. That breaks my heart. 💔
That was pure adrenaline that got him back to that tree against that current. That's some serious PTSD right there.
Yeah, after. Idk if you understand how PTSD works?
PTSD isn't real lmao
@@davidabest7195 how is it not real. If you seen something there can be things that trigger you to see it again
@@davidabest7195 Colin Robinson? Are you feeding off the internet again? 🤣
NS and to think how close he came to being eaten as well.
Although he never said how deep that river is.
These stories are terrifying. They’re so well told with such a calm demeanor that you’re just mentally put into that predicament. And they’re addicting. Cheers. Great channel!
Hearing that they never found the croc that killed Brett, made my eyes widen
I was dying inside as the story progressed. Especially when the one boy had fallen into the water and was trying to get out. MrBallen is a consummate story teller
Same bro
Agree. I virtually had to go and take a sedative!
Holy fucking shit. When Mr. Ballen first said there are animals in the water, I thought crocodiles. But holy shit I had no idea Crocs would STALK YOU like that. Truly truly terrifying. If I was the boy who fell off the tree into the water, I probably would’ve had a heart attack from the panic and been an absolute goner
SAME HERE GIRL!!!! I WOULDA HAD THE ABSOLUTE WORST PANIC ATTACK IN THE WORLD!
It's not terrifying
@@OneHunnitNoCapStannitOnBidnisz you’re so tough omg 😐
that's just what they do, salties regularly hunt terrestrial bipedal animals, they don't make a distinction and are highly opportunistic and patient, this story serves as a reminder not to be a moron in the top end, always assume crocs, always respect crocs turf, because once you go in that river and lose respect and awareness for them, you are no longer at the top of the food chain
@@Lord_of_Snels the way you said that was awesome ngl
I was literally cringing with fear when the boy fell in the water. Amazing story telling abilities
Same, but he often gives away whether or not the person survived right away with the perspective he provides. In this case, saying "and he's just expecting at any moment this crocodile is going to bite him"--a first-person perspective--tells you that the boy lived to tell the tale
@@dismalthoughts I used the same tactic to know if a person survives or not, and MrBallen threw me for a loop where in one story the person did NOT survive... wish I could remember which one!
...but its definitely not 100%
Gosh, this was one of the most terrifying stories that I’ve ever heard Mr. Ballen tell.
Mate I’m an Aussie who has enormous respect for crocs (truly magnificent creatures) and you gave me chills. You are very good.
Same here mate
Me too. Aussie sitting here with chills. Crocs are something prehistoric.
@Rex Ruth but you would be in that river.
Why would they get into the water. Its common sense crocodiles will be there
I've been watching horror movies my whole life. Mr Ballen scares me alot more then the movies.
What Mr. Ballen said: "Never swim in this Australian river."
What I heard: "Never go near water in Australia. You'll die."
It's not just the water, it's the land too. Only last week a 5 foot brown snake came up onto our patio within a few feet of us while we were sitting out there talking. We have found them in our pool and also large toads that are poisonous too. Oh well, the joys of living in Australia. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Same for Louisiana and Florida, always assume there is a gator in any body of water... even if you dont see one, assume it's there. But, gators are very much less aggressive than their Australian cousins and dont actively hunt humans. Gators in our area have been so desensitized to humans, they really want nothing to do with us. They know we hunt them. The only issues I've ever had with a gator is them coming after my bait whenever we go to catch blue point crabs. But, just pull out the pistol and fire off a couple rounds at em, and they will haul ass.
@@robynjoy4948 I'd rather shovel snow
@@robynjoy4948 wow you're so lucky, australia is my dream place !
@@alexandriaburnett2801 say what ? i hate snow so much that id rather have a poisonous snake on my patio every morning 🤣 im from quebec and winter is comming...ewww i want summer all year please
Oh man this was a good one. The suspense and anxiety was crazy. Always can count on you for a thriller.
Glad you enjoyed it!
That is one determined crocodile! Glad two of the guys survived.
"They'd done it before and nothing ever happened."
Nothing ever happens - until it does. Nothing ever goes wrong - until it does.
facts, they were just very lucky before, but the odds that one of them would be
killed by a croc if they kept trying their luck caught up to them.
" It was a quiet, sleepy, little town where nothing ever happened..."
Given crocodile lifespans, There’s a pretty good chance it’s still out there.
The Saltie in this story sounds pretty young, 13 feet is really small for a Saltie if this was a gator tho it'd be a pretty big boy.
Oh yeah, he's still out there for sure.
@@sparkyshark236 LOL 13 foot is in no way small for a saltie. In fact if it were a female, she'd be absolutely *colossal* and the biggest female ever recorded. People have this completely false idea that salties typically get 20+ foot. There's been *one* saltie that hit 20 foot. The same way there's been *one* human who was 8′11″. Anything over 15 foot is a behemoth.
@@neenekinskins6241 Only if the authorities didn't do their job. When a wild animal eats a human, it's standard protocol to find and destroy them. Because if they did it once, they're highly likely to try it again. Whether it's a tiger or a crocodile or what, you eat a person, you get to eat some lead too. It's public safety.
Even if not, crocodiles are highly cannibalistic so he could absolutely have been killed by another saltie. And salties are especially known for not putting up with other crocodiles in their territory. Usually the most you'll find is a male tolerating, and I stress just "tolerating" a female in his territory.
@@Veladus Correct. If it was a female, then she was absolutely massive. Even if it was a male, he was probably getting close to full length. Might have squeeked out a few more feet
I could actually feel their terror and pain when the story was being told. A very gripping story and so very sad, i feel for Bretts family and especially his 2 friends that witnessed it.
I was just about to go into the kitchen to get a drink of water..... I'll be thirsty until daylight I guess....
When Mr Ballen raises his voice in a story, you know its intense. Shit makes my anxiety flare up 😂
"They couldn't actually see the edge of the river or the slope down" is where even the most trained professionals would have backed off...
I'm not a trained professional but I've been around rivers my entire life. I mightve even stopped because of the water being so swollen its in the forest. That's a nope and turn back
@@Tyler-si2rj if you have been aroubd rivers your entire life that makes you a trained professional
And all just to be less muddy on their ride back home, cant believe they have done that before with no issues. Terrifying
@@architsaxena3792 What are you talking about, do you even know what a professional is?
Correction: That’s when *all people who aren’t complete retards* would’ve backed off
I work night shifts and I cannot thank you enough for keeping WIDE TF AWAKE with tales such as this, you really have a gift for storytelling and also for terrifying me. You rule.
I like his stories and the way he narrates them, but not when I’m working night shifts, by myself, in a big ass warehouse. Lol
exactly the same. |Mr B is doing gawds work.
I used to drive late a night for my work. Scary stories like this would keep me awake and safe. Thanks Mr. Ballen!
God, those rain/thunder sounds are glorious, I can't tell you how happy it made me. And here I thought a Mr ballen video couldn't get any better! ❤
“My greatest fears, alligators/crocodiles and a brain aneurysm. It’s the silent killer” - Sterling Archer
Don't forget the predator
Pretty sure I’d have a brain aneurism if I encountered a salty in open water.
Just saw this episode! 😅😅😅
Sensible fears. Mine is spiders, spiders, spiders...
Don't forget cyborgs 😂
Fun fact not even the designated "safe" places to swim aren't really safe up north, it's just a risk that you take up there.