That Time I Kayaked With Hundreds of Alligators

in #travel7 years ago (edited)

Okefenokee Swamp Kayak Reflection

The swamp air was still and thick, the only sound the scraping of lily pads against the hull of our kayak. We hadn't seen another human since the fisherman we passed over an hour ago.

That made it all the more startling when I shouted: "HOLY SHIT!"

The humongous alligator basking on the bank in front of us looked like he could swallow our torsos as a midmorning snack.

He saw us coming and heaved his bulk straight toward us. Fear clawed at my gut, drowning out my rationalizations that American alligators are shy and don't attack kayakers... right?

The gator slid into the water, still heading our way. With a lash of his tail, he sank beneath the surface and out of sight.

Nash and I held our breath, waiting for jaws to close around our vessel and drag us into the murky depths. But, before I could even think to grab my phone and document our deaths for posterity, the giant gator had vanished like he never existed.

It's funny to think that, after almost a month in the Southern United States, I had begun to doubt wild alligators existed at all.

Or at least I didn't believe that they existed in the numbers implied by the warning signs that decorated even the smallest puddle of water: "DANGER! Alligators in area". I saw neither scale nor tail of the creatures, so I began to believe they were a made-up scheme to prevent trespassing. "Get off my lawn or the gators will getcha!"

My best chance of encountering a wild alligator seemed to be the Okefenokee Swamp, in southeastern Georgia. According to creepy surveys made by counting their glowing eyes at night, around 12,000 alligators live in North America's largest blackwater swamp.

Plus, ever since I first heard the name "Okefenokee" in a standardized test in school, the word has been steeped in a kind of goofy-sounding mystery.

Nash and I rented a kayak from Okefenokee Adventures in the national wildlife refuge.

We launched down the Suwanee Canal, which was a failed attempt to drain the swamp for farmland.

The first alligator appeared within minutes, just a little guy. I gasped with delight and tracked him with my finger as we drifted past, just in case Nash somehow missed the two-foot long reptile sitting out in the open.

"He's so cute!" I whispered in wide-eyed adoration.

From then on, it was just a matter of keeping our eyes open.

The reptiles were everywhere: basking in the sun, swimming across the canal, or floating with just their eyes and nose visible.

I made a game of pointing them all out - "There's two over there! And another one... wait, that's a stick. No, it just moved, I was right! Ha!" Who knew how many more lurked just out of sight in the muddy water?

After the first mile, we left the canal and paddled into the Chesser Prairie. There, the cypress-tree-lined banks gave way to an open, reddy grassland dotted with wading birds.

The openness had its own dangers. We grew distracted trying to identify carnivorous plants and lost the trail. Everywhere we looked was still more pondweed.

Then our kayak decided to lodge itself on some kind of muddy mat of vegetation. Oh, great. We were stuck fast.

“So, should I, like, climb out and push?” I asked. I was none too keen to test my footing on the “Land of Trembling Earth”, which is also the land of alligators and snapping turtles and venomous snakes. I valued my ankles too much.

Instead, we shoved at the peat with our (ridiculously heavy) paddles and, inch by painful inch, scooted free.

It was shortly after that when we stumbled upon the monster gator. I never thought I'd actually be afraid of an American alligator, especially not from the safety of a kayak. How could they compare to the cow-killing saltwater crocodiles I'd seen in Australia? But I had no idea they could grow so big!

Like, I'm talking really, really big. Check out this Youtube video (yes, it's real, no, I didn't film it):

It seemed like a good moment to head back, before we found ourselves stranded in the middle of the swamp with hungry predators closing in on all sides. There were even swamp bears out there!

Okefenokee Alligators

By the time we returned to the visitor's center, I was more excited to see turtles than yet another alligator. My mission to see gators in the South was a runaway success, and I couldn't have picked a better place to do it than afloat in the Okefenokee.

Okefenokee Kayak Rental Canal

What wildlife would you most like to kayak with? Let me know in the comments! (P.S. I upvote my favorites.)

Thanks for reading! All photos and words are mine, apart from the Youtube video. If you want to take the adventure to the next level, there are also designated water-access campsites out in the swamp (couldn't talk Nash into that one haha).
- Katie, @therovingreader


!steemitworldmap 30.738495 lat -82.139803 long Head into Okefenokee Swamp aboard a kayak! d3scr

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Why the hell is there even a gator park!? Do they say how many casualties they've had? Jeez! Why would you and Nash even risk it!? I'm throwing out interrobangs, but if given the chance, I would most likely take it. I'm thinking whenever the gators are out of view, they're probably beneath the kayak waiting for an opportune moment to pounce. Man, that's deadly! What are their safety precautions to shield from an attack? I mean... I'm getting dizzy just thinking about it. What if the kayak toppled over? What if a gator decided to jump up the kayak when it's wedged in the muck? Are there tracking devices? COmmunication devices? Suddenly, Okefenokee doesn't seem that okee...

Hahaha, the guy who rented us the kayak did give us a map! I don't think a kayaker has ever been attacked (though no one can explain the empty kayaks that keep showing up in the swamp - jk,jk). Gators usually stick to easier prey, and we were also armed with those heavy paddles. I just wouldn't advise jumping into the water at night and thrashing around like a wounded animal.

D-Did... Did you and Nash wanted to set a record and be the first? LOL I kid. I always say that I'm not scared of anything I can hit, but gators and crocs are somewhat of a weak spot for me. Maybe because I saw this scary movie when I was a kid that involves them. Childhood trauma and all.

Really though, even if I could hit them, I don't know how much damage I could make.

OMG. I was legit scared for you! You made me laugh from the start, and hold my breath till the end. Fabulous writing! The gators sure have presence. I've never seen one in the wild, but have family in New Orleans, so I've actually heard "The Night Before Christmas" done Cajun style, with the sleigh pulled by gators. lol!

I'd like to kayak with dolphins or whales. Maybe swim with dolphins and kayak with whales. :)

Thank you so much! Next time I'll wrassle up eight alligators for Santa's sleigh haha.

I 100% approve of your choice! I didn't mention this, but I'm still hoping to kayak with orcas. So far, they're never in the area when I'm out paddling, but I can't complain because we had a chance encounter with humpbacks while visiting my cousin in Hawaii. They're so cool!

Well, your kayaking is certainly more exciting than mine! I have been limited to Illinois lakes so far. Although I have had some close encounters with muskrat, that isn’t exactly as exciting, lol! I would love to kayak in places with more wildlife.

Nice! I know what you mean - on the lake near my home I mostly see ducks and the rare river otter but it's still so relaxing. I hope you'll get the opportunity to paddle in some exciting new places!

Being in a small boat with alligators around sounds horrifyingly fascinating (☼Д☼) If I ever get the chance to go kayaking, I think I'll stick to seeing waterfowl and the occasional not-human-eating turtle (⌒▽⌒)

Haha! One of the big draws to kayaking is how peaceful it is gliding on the water - I think you might have the right idea. :)

Seeing alligators up close actually do seem like a blast (your pictures were really cool), but only if you're prepared to make a high-speed get away if they decide you seem tasty enough for an afternoon snack. So for a lazy day of relaxation? No. But if you're looking for an adrenaline rush? Sign me up! :)

I love your work today, too. Awesome pics with nice comments

This seems very cool and somewhat dangerous at the same time.

Thanks! We figured they wouldn't let us rent the kayak if it was really dangerous, but you can't tell your instincts that in the moment!

My heart started pounding a bit as I was reading! Glad y'all made it out of there alive and with a great story!

I think most of the danger was only perceived, but glad I was able to convey the excitement! Thanks for reading!

when nature calls ;)

A real adventure.

Impressive :)

Dear, this travel journey of yours amazes me.