This evening, while kayaking on the "lake" in our neighborhood, a kid that was fishing told me that he saw a pretty good sized alligator in the lake...the first one he had seen this spring. About this same time last year, while kayaking in nearly the exact same location, I saw an alligator staring me down and not swimming away from me, and I started feeling rather vulnerable. At that time, one of the neighborhood kids said something like, "Mister, you're pretty brave paddlin' around in that little kayak during alligator matin' season." I swear that before I got to shore, I got bumped no less than three times by something. At the time, I was dead sure it was that alligator, but I admit my imagination was running pretty wild by the time I got to shore. I don't think I've ever got out of a kayak faster than I did that day. It was a good two months before I even thought about going out again. This year, I will simply hang up the boat during alligator mating season which is basically the April - June timeframe. I'm doing this even though I know that if precautions are taken, I have a very low probability of experiencing a confrontation, based on everything I have read online. I don't mind gliding by alligators, enjoying their presence after the mating season is over, but until then, well...I'll just enjoy them from the shore, keeping my paddlin' drumstick-looking arms well out of from their domain.During mating season, the male alligators can get pretty aggressive, and they put on an unusual ritual to intice a mate.
2 comments:
That sounds scary. I'm glad you hang up the boat for a little while. Even off matinng season, I stil wouldn't dare get in the boat if I knew there was a gator around. Gosh, you are brave!
I'm glad to hear you're hanging up the boat for mating season, too! I'm with Evisa--you're super brave! But I think it's awesome that you get around so much in your kayak. So adventurous!
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