Instagram-famous socks almost eaten by famous croc in Northern Territory

A pair of socks have visited some of the most exotic places on earth but when they landed in the Top End, they were almost crocodile food.

Mark Oats and the croc that almost ate his sock.

A pair of socks, which have travelled the globe, almost became a Territory crocodile’s latest victim.

Fiddle player Mark Oats brought a pair of woollen socks from Sydney, gifted to him by a fan in Denmark almost a decade ago, on a recent holiday to the NT.

Wanting the ultimate Territory picture-perfect moment, Mr Oats got the team at a river cruise to tie the sock onto the end of their meat pole.

“I generally take the socks with me when I’m travelling in case something interesting turns up, this photo with a crocodile had to be done, after I’ve taken them swimming with turtles and hanging out with sharks,” he said.

The sock, featured on Insta page @socks_around_the_world, was almost eaten by an anonymous croc in the Northern Territory.

Mr Oats was in town to play with Darwin musician Matt Zarb for a week earlier this month.

“I love the thriving live music scene up there, even in the wet season, it’s a great vibe around town,” he said.

It was while performing that he received the gift of the travelling socks, and the yarns have not stopped unravelling from there.

“After performing at a music festival in Skagen, Denmark in 2014, I was gifted a pair of hand made woollen socks by my friend Lobber,” he said.

Mark Oats looking distraught after his sock was almost swallowed by an anonymous croc on the Adelaide River.

“Her only request was that I photograph the socks in my travels around the world.”

Mr Oats said the socks had been places many hadn’t, and were all documented on his Instagram page @socks_around_the_world.

“They’ve been all over Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Abu Dhabi, Norfolk Island, the world’s only under water post office in Vanuatu, swimming with turtles and sharks … And now one sock has been lost to Stumpy the croc!”

Mr Oats said he wanted to clarify no crocodile’s digestive systems were harmed in the making of the picture.

“The guys (at the tour) were fantastic — they tied it really tight so it didn’t come off,” he said.

The adventures for the pair of socks will not stop anytime soon, with Mr Oats taking them to Spain next month.

Originally published as Instagram-famous socks almost eaten by famous croc in Northern Territory