ExplorewithFelixEse: Nike Lake: The Crocodiles' Sanctuary

Nike Lake: The Crocodiles' Sanctuary

Past the walls of the Nike resort lies a body of murky water as dark as midnight. The area breathes serenity only nature could offer but this is occasionally disrupted by the flocks of egrets flying above the lake only to perch on the mangroves edging it shore. The eagles also hover around the water for their daily meal.

the oil reflecting colours on the water

eagles hovering the skies

My friend and I sat lost in the tranquillity in the wonderful lake that accommodated crocodiles. My first visit was in the evening and I couldn’t see the much talked about crocodiles but the funny calls they made assured us of their presence. So right there at the terrace, we sat at the adjoining bar eating “Abacha” a local salad peculiar to the “Igbos” and downing it with chilled drinks.

night view

selfie mode

relaxing time

The Abacha tastes yummy!

So I heard the crocodiles were a bit shy and they rather hide around the mangrove trees so I decided to pay them a visit in the afternoon. Some part of the resort was littered with flowers and it was indeed a beautiful spectacle. As a lover of nature I moved around and threw these beautiful litters in the air while my friend tried to capture the moment.

night view

flowers

playing with nature

smelling like a butterfly

We got to the lakeside and were very disappointed that the water stank of fuel. The lake reflected a kind of oily glow and out from nowhere we heard the crocodiles snort while the eagles and the egrets displayed their noisy orchestrated flying skills above.

fuel on the water

The murky water shows no sign of life, everything around it apart from the birds seem lifeless. The lazy breeze occasionally runs through the branches of the mangroves and the eagles dived down to snatch fishes from below.

eagles and egrets at the background

Gradually we became impatient; the crocodiles were either too lazy or too shy to sun themselves. I asked one of the bartender where were the “famous crocs” and her reply was that I should throw something in the lake and they will surface. We laughed about it then I took some pieces of stone and threw it down the sluggish lake but it was no avail.

I decided to walk around the shoreline and I saw point marked “beware of crocodiles”. I stood there enjoying the beautiful view from this side when I saw a strange sight close to the grooves of trees. A man wearing a funny hat paddling a half canoe, well from far, it looked as if the crocs took parts of the canoe during an encounter.

the man with the half canoe

I immediately burst into torrents of laughs. The fisherman went on throwing his net into the lake and I kept thinking what if the canoe tumbles over but the man was experienced, he skillfully manoeuvred his craft on the water. We waved at him when he passed us but he seemed engrossed with his work.

minding his business

While we stood there reading rules of boating on the lake an expatriate walked up to us and ask if we care to roll a boat but we declined. The man lives in the resort and he told us that he sees crocodiles during his early and evening walk around the lake and if we were patient enough we will be able to sight them.

He said he doesn’t know where the petrol polluting the water comes from. We sighed because the lake needs a proper clean up and if the pollution goes on there will be no aquatic life in this serene lake again. So we left hopeful that the next visit will be successful and I will get to see the “crocs”.