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.
"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.
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!
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.
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.
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"
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 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.
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.
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
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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?
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 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.
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 !
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
You sit on the bank of the Fitzroy river (WA) Australia fishing at night and you shine the torch the crocodiles are in a semi-circle looking at you.😂😂😂 Magic
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
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
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 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.
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 was born and raised in Queensland. Growing up, you'd hear stories about how a mate's mate up north fishing went missing. They would tell you straight up going fishing in rivers is extremely dangerous. There are bull sharks in there and if youre in the wrong place at the wrong time, then thats it. Being that crocodile's are openly on beaches in Australia, i personally would never venture into known dangerous areas. You're not the main character in those rivers and beaches. The crocs were here long before us and in all likelihood will outlast us.
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 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.
First time here, quite the story teller, not one sec was boring. I admire the description of the surroundings, the brain is creating the surroundings just like reading a book would do. Very nice.
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 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.
Ah, yes. Much better than a morning cup of coffee. A morning dose of “What else can I end up being mortified of?” is always the best way to begin a new day.
Coffee and a Mr Ballen story. GREAT way to bear with my Migraine from HELL! His stories are awesome, and his voice is so pleasant, my head can handle it.😘💖👍
I’ve never been a “TH-cam guy “ where dudes hop on TH-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.
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. 😔
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.
absolutely love your channel, brilliant story teller and even a better speaker! great information and perfectly describing every event in pure detail. this guy deservers every penny his making and deserves every subscriber and more. big fan, love your work!
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 ..
@@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
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!
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?
The Somerton man is a very good option, Snowtown Murders will be fitting for John also in my opinion. There was also a very creepy Husband/Wife cult in Victoria that used to adopt children and feed them LSD to control them and brainwash them into thinking they were the pure children of their God! He has plentiful stories from Australia that's for sure!
@@banjopatterson3574 I could go on for hours maybe even days written out a list lol MrBallin is the OG storyteller.. I could only imagine all the boys back in his marine days used to get excited for bedtime stories
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.
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.
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 :)
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
The part when Shaun fell in gave me some serious anxiety. And of course, the legendary storyteller Mr.Ballen made it that much more anxiety inducing. Love the vids!!
Cyril Figgis : Why are you so afraid of crocodiles? Sterling Archer : Gee, I don't know, Cyril. Maybe deep down, I'm afraid of any Apex Predator that lived through the KT Extinction.
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
nah, just be smart, the teens in this video should have went home when they got back to there car. although, florida water is not nearly as dangerous as Australia. either way, its sad too see so many people afraid of the water. still, i always like to swim in clear water so i can see everything. so i wouldn't be swimming in black water. i know some friends who prefer pitch black lakes, and im like how. lol
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
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.
This story gave me so much anxiety, how terrifying! What an absolute nightmare. RIP Brett. Also as an Aussie how have I never even heard this story? Thanks Mr Ballen
You probably live in vic cos in qld and nsw was all over the news I think around the same time a father was taken out his boat in front of the wife an kids by a croc
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.
Im from up that way.. I remember when this happened. Very lucky the croc didnt pick em off from the overhanging branch.. Many lifes have been lost due to crocs proppeling them selves skyward to snatch people.. This an instinct they have, They will often take large birds this way. What saved the fellas was that the water underneath the tree limb was not deep enough for the croc to accelerate a leap in a vertical trajectory,,, The boys knew this btw. Obviously the croc did as well. Very well presented video mate.. Thank you! - GT, North West Australia.
@@conniewilkinson9347 Na, Crocodiles are far stronger then that. They can raise there body completely out of the water when they jump vertically. A current wouldn't effect them. As it was a mangrove tree its exactly how original poster mentioned it.
@@angeltzepesh1 being around one in the daylight is traumatising, can't even begin to imagine that situation... imagine if it's mouth opened during one of the strikes, instant heart failure lol
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
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
"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.
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!
As far as i'm aware crocs have been long enough on the Earth. Pretty sure they had enough time to become that smart.
They aren't called predators for nothing!!
Bet ole crocy was pissed. Foiled again
Crocs in Indonesia act like drowning humans to lure rescuers into the water... shit is terrifying
@@obvioustrash7833 sounds really terrifying
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 😂
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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?
@@Ryanvllnva4200why do dumb sober vegans try to associate everything with pot?
A “real” American hero.💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼😎 I’m positive nothing would be boring having MrBallen as a teammate.
"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.
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.
😭
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
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!!!
Same, my anxiety kicked in
Thought for sure he was a goner
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
😂😂😂
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.
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.
"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
Correct phrase is she’ll be right
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
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.
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?
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's 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.
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
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.
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.
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
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 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
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 !
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.
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 🥴
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
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
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 :)
3 boys: No problem, we grew up here.
Croc: Yeah mate, so did I.
Messed up! LMAO!!!
Underrated comment.
Croc:"I was born in the river...molded by it."
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 felt that from beginning to end. Great video. RIP young man.
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
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
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
You sit on the bank of the Fitzroy river (WA) Australia fishing at night and you shine the torch the crocodiles are in a semi-circle looking at you.😂😂😂
Magic
"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..."
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
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
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 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!
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.
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!
I was born and raised in Queensland.
Growing up, you'd hear stories about how a mate's mate up north fishing went missing. They would tell you straight up going fishing in rivers is extremely dangerous. There are bull sharks in there and if youre in the wrong place at the wrong time, then thats it.
Being that crocodile's are openly on beaches in Australia, i personally would never venture into known dangerous areas.
You're not the main character in those rivers and beaches. The crocs were here long before us and in all likelihood will outlast us.
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
"All of a sudden, Ashley just yells---" AD BREAK. Perfect cliffhanger moment.
TH-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 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.
First time here, quite the story teller, not one sec was boring.
I admire the description of the surroundings, the brain is creating the surroundings just like reading a book would do.
Very nice.
Mr. ballen: “never swim in this Australian river”
Me: yeah, I’m not swimming in any Australian river…
I like this story it kept me on the edge of my seat
Aww man I was gonna comment this but checked to see if anyone said it first and you beat me to it
I wouldn't visit there either.... everything is poisonous and wants to kill you lol
You must be pretty boring
@@Daxas44 poisonous, venomous or both?
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 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.
That is one determined crocodile! Glad two of the guys survived.
Ah, yes. Much better than a morning cup of coffee. A morning dose of “What else can I end up being mortified of?” is always the best way to begin a new day.
@LIQUID FX facts
@LIQUID FX 🤣🤣🤣Yall are both hilarious
How bout, strange, dark, and mysterious w a cup of coffee. Great way to start the day.
I got coffee And Ballen
Coffee and a Mr Ballen story. GREAT way to bear with my Migraine from HELL! His stories are awesome, and his voice is so pleasant, my head can handle it.😘💖👍
I’ve never been a “TH-cam guy “ where dudes hop on TH-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
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. 😔
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.
You outdid yourself with this one. You're a born story teller.
Thank you!
My heart was racing.! He really did a fantastic job.
Mr.ballen is my favorite TH-camr
@@Nothingatall1984 lol, mine too!
I couldn’t agree more!! I absolutely love this channel!!
#HappyHalloween y’all!! #Creepy #Spooky #Scary 👻💀🎃
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
When Mr Ballen raises his voice in a story, you know its intense. Shit makes my anxiety flare up 😂
absolutely love your channel, brilliant story teller and even a better speaker! great information and perfectly describing every event in pure detail. this guy deservers every penny his making and deserves every subscriber and more. big fan, love your work!
“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 😂
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?
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
Brett used to work near my mums cafe. He used to come in for lunch most days. Absolute tragic story.
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 sounds like someplace you CAN’T go, but 3 people went anyways…
👍
Facts!!
Hahaha nice!
Awesome comment
Correct!
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 just about to go into the kitchen to get a drink of water..... I'll be thirsty until daylight I guess....
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.
Give me more Australian stories mr ballin… you’re killing it dude… mad respect big love
The Somerton man is a very good option, Snowtown Murders will be fitting for John also in my opinion.
There was also a very creepy Husband/Wife cult in Victoria that used to adopt children and feed them LSD to control them and brainwash them into thinking they were the pure children of their God! He has plentiful stories from Australia that's for sure!
@@banjopatterson3574 I could go on for hours maybe even days written out a list lol MrBallin is the OG storyteller.. I could only imagine all the boys back in his marine days used to get excited for bedtime stories
Come round for a cuppa I’ve got a few tales you’d enjoy
From an Aussie down under ! 🇦🇺
@@rach3601 give me all the stories 😍 I’m a sucker for good story time
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.
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.
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! 😎🍻
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
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!
The part when Shaun fell in gave me some serious anxiety. And of course, the legendary storyteller Mr.Ballen made it that much more anxiety inducing. Love the vids!!
Cyril Figgis : Why are you so afraid of crocodiles?
Sterling Archer : Gee, I don't know, Cyril. Maybe deep down, I'm afraid of any Apex Predator that lived through the KT Extinction.
Elite ref
LOL YES!!!!!!!! love it haha.
One of his 3 biggest fears 😥
Any critter that survived the KT event probably deserves that kind of respect
This is an underrated comment. Nice reference.
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
This story just reaffirms my rule, never swim in anything without a cement bottom!
Yes Judith. Yes, yes, yes!
My mom makes me wear cement shoes for that reason.
@@deliriousmysterium8137 🤔
@@deliriousmysterium8137 😂😂😂
nah, just be smart, the teens in this video should have went home when they got back to there car. although, florida water is not nearly as dangerous as Australia. either way, its sad too see so many people afraid of the water. still, i always like to swim in clear water so i can see everything. so i wouldn't be swimming in black water. i know some friends who prefer pitch black lakes, and im like how. lol
Mr Ballen, you had me on the edge of my seat. You’re a master storyteller.
"If you found this secret in this episode"
Are you joking lad? My head was buried in my hands!
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 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.
This story gave me so much anxiety, how terrifying! What an absolute nightmare. RIP Brett. Also as an Aussie how have I never even heard this story? Thanks Mr Ballen
Because the media are too busy trying to turn kids trans to report the actual news, and it was nearly 2 decades ago.
You’re not wrong mate, lol
That’s strange I’ve heard of this story so many times , one of the reasons I’m terrified of Australia 🙁
Coz ur always drunk of fosters
You probably live in vic cos in qld and nsw was all over the news I think around the same time a father was taken out his boat in front of the wife an kids by a croc
This guy is a master story - teller. Could listen to him for hours ❤
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.
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.
Im from up that way.. I remember when this happened. Very lucky the croc didnt pick em off from the overhanging branch.. Many lifes have been lost due to crocs proppeling them selves skyward to snatch people.. This an instinct they have, They will often take large birds this way.
What saved the fellas was that the water underneath the tree limb was not deep enough for the croc to accelerate a leap in a vertical trajectory,,, The boys knew this btw. Obviously the croc did as well.
Very well presented video mate.. Thank you! - GT, North West Australia.
Good to know. Thank you!
Maybe the strong current from the rain also helped.
@@conniewilkinson9347 Na, Crocodiles are far stronger then that. They can raise there body completely out of the water when they jump vertically. A current wouldn't effect them. As it was a mangrove tree its exactly how original poster mentioned it.
Imagine the scene, down pouring and face to face with a monster, only seeing each others gaze when it was lightning.
@@angeltzepesh1 being around one in the daylight is traumatising, can't even begin to imagine that situation... imagine if it's mouth opened during one of the strikes, instant heart failure lol
By far the most suspenseful spoken story of ever heard, wow
Thank you!
"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 think I'll dangle off a branch and dip into the river"
Crocs, "People Fondue ymmm"