Are There Alligators In The Ocean?

There's an alligator I know well enough to refer to as "that gentleman", although that's being kind as I have seen him eat all manner of God's creatures.  I guess it's part of the plan, but if you've ever been walking your dog down a dark trail before sunrise and come across a mature alligator walking out of the woods, you might question that plan.

At any rate, some "New to Florida" friends of mine where teasing me about my gator "hyper-vigilance" although they said they could not really relate since they lived on the beach and never had to worry about gators.......

Huh?!?!?!

Okay, see if you can stay with me:  Alligators live in rivers, lakes, ponds and all other water in the state.  Occasionally we get driving rains here that push everything in these small bodies of water towards the ocean.  Why on Earth would you not think a gator would get washed to the beach you live on?  It's unenviable.  The last time it happened was in Venice and as you can imagine, it was kind of a big "to do", unless you're a Floridan like me and expect it.  

The good news is that salt makes them lethargic.  But I would rather stay clear of an alligator than face a sleepy one.  So, once again, the rule of thumb is that there are gators in the water, no matter what kind of water, but they are afraid of you.  Just give them some room.  After all, they were here first.


 

"That gentleman" on patrol behind our home.........

© John Gaudiano
http://johngaudiano.com

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