'Yaks 'n 'gators

[AnnOnimous]

We all know they're out there...

Lizards.

Lizards bigger than our 'yaks. "They won't bother you none." some people say, and for the most part, they're right. BUT to a big gator that's in a mood, we're just another long, low shape on the water, and perhaps a threat to their territory.

Every year there's reports... "Gator attacked my kayak! It's gotta go!" You ask a few questions though, and it ends up that the gator was up on the bank when the 'yak came by... ol' lizard just feels safer in deep water, so he bails off the bank, bumps the underside of your 'yak and settles down in his hole to wait till you're gone. Trust me, if a gator "attacks" your 'yak, you're gonna know it. Just the other week it happened at Eddy Creek out near Playalinda... guy in a 10 foot 'yak came around a bend and a big 11 footer came shooting out of the mangroves, grabbed his 'yak, flipped it over and chewed on it for a little while. Luckily he was happy to chew on the 'yak and didn't go for the 'yakker (who probably realized that it's not all that hard to walk on water if you have the right motivation).

I know a lot of people figure gators are just another part of the landscape... which they are if they're being wild gators... if you've got one that comes up and bumps his nose on your yak or canoe when you launch, or follows you around, though, it's time to call FWC before we have a disaster. I hear it from cast-netters all the time: "Oh, yeah, there's a 9 footer that follows us around when we're out, but we just toss him a couple mullet..." NOOOOO!!!!!!

"We just throw him our trash fish...."
"We bring a loaf of bread... just for him...."
"Yeah, we let the dog go out in the water, he loves it....."

It's not necessarily our own actions we have to look out for with these animals... think about the area you're yakking in... is there a lot of fishing activity? If so, I'm sorry to say it, but chances are, any alligators have been fed and therefore associate us with food... this is not good... 95% of the state's alligator attacks are linked back to feeding, and it's not just direct feeding, either... it's the people who bash stingrays and catfish and puffers and leave them on the bank to rot, it's the people who clean their fish on site and rather than using a garbage recepticle, they throw the cleanings back in the water as "chum"... gator realizes these things don't show up on their own, they might have a tiny brain, but they're not stupid... trust me.

Anyway, just a little safety alert. Enjoy 'em, they're awesome animals, but they deserve a lot of respect.

[Cookinman]

All very good points there !

[AnnOnimous]

I just see waaaay too much irresponsible behavior when it comes to gators... had to take a 10 footer out by the NASA visitor center that people were having their kids BACK UP TO for pics... *shudder*

Brevard hasn't had a human fatality from a gator in about 50 years... and sometimes I'm suprised at what people get away with....