Has anyone ever been attacked by an alligator while paddling? [Is this sentence ambiguous?] Has anyone ever attacked an alligator while paddling? Alligatorless in Portland. ********************************************************************** Bradford R. Crain E-mail: brad_at_mth.pdx.edu Dept. of Mathematics Phone: (503) 725-3127 Portland State Univ. FAX: (503) 725-3661 P.O. Box 751 Portland, Or. 97207 ********************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
At 07:33 AM 2/6/98 +0000, BRADFORD R. CRAIN wrote: > Has anyone ever been attacked by an alligator while paddling? >[Is this sentence ambiguous?] Has anyone ever attacked an alligator >while paddling? > > Alligatorless in Portland. > >********************************************************************** >Bradford R. Crain E-mail: brad_at_mth.pdx.edu >Dept. of Mathematics Phone: (503) 725-3127 >Portland State Univ. FAX: (503) 725-3661 >P.O. Box 751 >Portland, Or. 97207 >********************************************************************** In Fla. at least they arn't much of a problem. Check out http://www.jacksonville.net/~dldecker/fska5.htm#alligator Dana *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
I did some research a few months ago when I started paddling the Glades where I often see gators and an occasional large (14-15 foot) one. I was unable to find anyone who'd had a problem or any account of a paddler being attacked while in their boat. The only recent attack here was an 8 or 10 year old that was swimming while his parents were either portaging or out of their canoes. The child was killed. After many subsequent hours of paddling amongst the gators I have found them to be timid and will usually dissapear as I approach. Of course our gators dont have Cajun food, so I suspect they are a little less agressive then their Lousiana cousins. > Has anyone ever been attacked by an alligator while paddling? > [Is this sentence ambiguous?] Has anyone ever attacked an alligator > while paddling? > > Alligatorless in Portland. > Bob Denton Vice President Undersea Breathing Systems bob_at_dnax.com http://www.dnax.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
>From many paddling trips on Lake Jessup here in Florida, one of the most gator filled lakes in the country, I would say gators are a very minor threat. Most of the time you have to watch closely to even see them as they submerge long before you get close. I never attack or harass gators in any way, not a good idea to tempt a creature who is much bigger, stronger, and far better a swimmer than I am. :-) I also tend to avoid major gator areas in mating season. NEVER feed the gators, and if you see someone feeding the gators, call the marine patrol. Anyone stupid enough to feed gators really needs to get the ticket/arrest that it calls for. michael BRAD_at_mth.pdx.edu wrote: > > Has anyone ever been attacked by an alligator while paddling? > [Is this sentence ambiguous?] Has anyone ever attacked an alligator > while paddling? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
On 2/6/98 09:35AM, BRAD_at_mth.pdx.edu wrote: > Has anyone ever been attacked by an alligator while paddling? On 2/6/98 12:06PM, gulfstream_at_flinet.com wrote: >After many subsequent hours of paddling amongst the gators I have >found them to be timid and will usually dissapear as I approach. Exactly...gator attacks are very rare and ALL documented attacks have occurred while the victims were thrashing around in the water. There is an excellent page entitled "Why Do Alligators Attack People" at this location: http://www.libra-mmsystemh.demon.nl/Html/pg_why.htm At this page, you can see statistics for gator attacks going back to 1948. Just don't go swimming in the swamp (who would want to?) and you'll be okay. Gators will give you a wide berth if you do the same for them. Alligators are hunted by trolling a whole chicken (on a BIG hook with a BIG wire leader) behind a boat (NOT A KAYAK!!!). When a hungry gator grabs the chicken and dives, the hunters haul him to the surface, then shoot him. In Texas, we only have a one-week gator season and Lousisana is not much longer as I remember. The poor gator was almost hunted to extinction in the '60s and '70's due to a fashion of alligator skin purses, shoes etc. (BUFFALO-TONGUE MENTALITY). The hook is used to keep from losing the gator after he is shot. The key point here is that you have to actively fish for them because they tend to disappear when humans approach. As Bob noted, they are very timid, yet magnificent creatures and I am always very thrilled when I have the luck of seeing one. Last spring (of '97), I sat for a couple of hours about 75 yards offshore on the San Jacinto river (in the Sam Houston National Forest here in Texas) in my red hydra sea runner kayak and watched a big gator build her nest. I stayed very quiet and didn't threaten her in any way and she ignored me the whole time. Our southern swamps and marshlands are just like any other wilderness area, they are safe as long as you take care. I've lived here most of my life and I'm more worried about spraining an ankle while backpacking in the mountains than being attacked by a giant man-eating gator. Don't let paranoia from Hollywood keep you from experiencing what I believe to be one of the most diversely rich ecosystems on our planet. Any of you GASP paddlers have comments on this issue? ------------------------------------------------------------------- Neil Harrison-Houston, Texas email: nil_at_nol.net (_at_ _at_) web: www.nol.net/~nil/ ----------------------------ooO~(_)~Ooo---------------------------- 100% recycled electrons *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
> From: Nil9000000_at_aol.com > > Any of you GASP paddlers have comments on this issue? You might try asking them on the GASP list :-) Alligators are timid, as Bob says. Except for a mother protecting her babies. If you see tiny alligators, don't pick them up, but instead, leave the area immediately. A mother alligator, from everything I've read, is *very* protective. And just because you don't see her, doesn't mean she's not nearby. They can be tough to spot when resting just below the surface of the water with only snout and eyes exposed. We encountered alligators on Horn Island. There were timid. At one location along the beach, we noticed some strange tracks just a few feet east of where we were going to pitch our tent. It turned out to be the tracks of a not-so-small alligator traveling across the beach into the Sound. We moved our tent to another location so we would not be in the return path. But I don't think it would have ever bothered us. We paddled back into one of the larger lagoons on Horn Island. If you sit very quietly, you might see some eyes and snouts appear about the water's surface. Not to mention some spectacular birdlife with strange calls. Early in the morning is a good time for viewing the wildlife. The bugs were what we considered vicious. The deerflies and a very small gnat that comes out at dusk. A mean biter, flies into your mouth, up your nose, into your eyes. Take a net for your head and face. Jackie http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/ _ _ _ _ _ \\ / \0/ \ / \0/ \ \\ " " `\ ,sSSs,\, )\w/( ,sSS..)/{) <<..> sSSS_v)/ \ )<*> sSS[(\_]___\ <(_/_o_o_ 'sS[_`-+---+) \----+-------+-------'---`-----\-------------') ~~~~~~~ ~~jf ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~\~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ o \ o \\ o o \\ o o ` (\ o o >jf:-) o (/ o *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Crocs are a completley different story! There's a show on the outdoor channel call ed the Crocodile Hunter... Our Australian distributor was over last week and I mentioned that I enjoed the show... He exclaimed "He's dead ya know...he was eaten". cya Bob Denton Vice President Undersea Breathing Systems bob_at_dnax.com http://www.dnax.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Has anyone ever been attacked by an alligator while paddling? [Is this sentence ambiguous?] Has anyone ever attacked an alligator while paddling? In Ethopia, we were charged by croc's and hippo's. Usually just slapping a paddle at the croc's scared them away, I imagine the same would work for gators. Now the hippo's, they were a different story.......... Barb *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
>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 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
Another great place for gaters is the Loxahatchee reserve..both the canal and the canoe trail. If there aren't any power boats on the canal, you'll see 5-10 every mile and some REALLY big ones. The reserve is located between Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, about 20 minutes east of the FL Turnpike...Cooommooon Down! cya Bob Denton Vice President Undersea Breathing Systems bob_at_dnax.com http://www.dnax.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
At 08:45 PM 2/6/98 EST, you wrote: > >In Ethopia, we were charged by croc's and hippo's. Usually just slapping a >paddle at the croc's scared them away, I imagine the same would work for >gators. Now the hippo's, they were a different story.......... > >Barb, Please tell us about the hippos. Bill Ridlon Southern Maine Sea Kayaking Network *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net ***************************************************************************
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