The Hansa Powerade Dusi Canoe Marathon is set to take place at 6pm on Tuesday and the canoeists have been told they have little to fear from the two crocodiles that have been spotted recently in the area.

Steps have been taken to ensure the 1700 canoeists that will be paddling from Camp's Drift, Pietermaritzburg, to Blue Lagoon in Durban over the next three days won’t have a crocodile in their path.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Jeff Gaisford said on Wednesday there was no sign of the crocodiles, which had been spotted at points along the lower reaches of the race path.

The smaller of the two crocodiles were last spotted by the race spokesman Ray de Vries between Connaught Bridge and the N3 on Tuesday morning.

Gaisford said: "We would never say that there is no danger, but the threat is minimal.

"The crocodiles make their appearance only in the last two or three kilometres of the race, which is flat water, so paddlers are usually going fast. This causes a disturbance, sending the crocodiles back into the thickest of the reeds.

"There are also a few hundred canoes coming through, so that would also make them want to hide."

Four traps have been set up along the river for the crocodiles.