Re: [Paddlewise] gators

>Has anyone ever attacked an alligator 
>while paddling? 

Well, actually from a gator's point of view, yes.

About five years ago on one memorable trip I paddled solo down the Wekiva
river in Central Florida to the St. Johns river. It was a hot, humid August
day and there wasn't a breath of wind. The mosquitoes were thick near shore
so I decided to eat on the water. I spotted a mound of muck in a shallow
lagoon surrounded by weeds, off the main channel. It was the perfect place
to secure the boat while I ate. I approached the mound at "ramming speed"
and had just touched it when the water exploded. My "mound" was actually a
large gator camouflaged with mud, that had been lazing on top of some
floating weeds. The terrified reptile slapped my kayak with his tail as he
thrashed to escape. Needless to say, I ended up eating lunch on shore. The
mosquitoes didn't seem quite so bad after all!

All of my Florida gator stories have a common theme. Most of them are
accustomed to the loud banging and booming from aluminum canoes or the
motors of powerboats. Paddling solo and being quiet, it is quite easy to
surprise them and they go absolutely nuts trying to get away. A great place
to see gators in Central Florida is Lake Woodruff (part of the Lake
Woodruff wildlife refuge). If you want to get your heart rate up, just make
the mistake of paddling a wee too close to the edge of the weed beds on
this lake. Sooner or later you will surprise a gator or a manatee just
under the surface and the water will explode as if a small depth-charge was
detonated under your hull.

This is not an unusual occurrence in some little-travelled freshwater areas
no matter how careful you are and even if you try to make a little noise.
It still gets my heart racing but it is no longer quite the fright that it
used to be.

Greg Stamer
Orlando, Florida

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