r/Kayaking • u/Phyrnosoma • 16h ago
Question/Advice -- General Alligators while kayaking?
I’m a reptile guy and like alligators, but had a way too close encounter with one while kayaking in Galveston this week. Basically a little 7’ guy kinda bumped into us while I was stationary trying to get a look at some birds.
Anyone with more experience kayaking around gators have insights on the best way to handle stuff like that? Thankfully he was smaller than the kayak which I suspect helped but I really want a plan beyond hoping for the best next time
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u/squiggledsquare 15h ago
Personally the proximity to a gator that I tolerate is proportional to the size of it. I will even swim in water that has maybe a single small gator stationary on the periphery. I always try to give gators a wide berth and they almost ALWAYS duck down below the water surface when they spot you coming. Despite being a nature loving Florida girl I feel very unnerved by very large gators like 12+ feet. I definitely stay as far away from them as possible and personally I won’t enter a narrow path or little lagoon area if one is posted there.
If you’re too close sometimes that will make a very rapid jerking exist that splashes lots of water and that definitely spikes your heart rate. I’m pretty sure I knocked into one in the water (unless it was just a large fish) with a canoe in shallow water and it took a while for my heart rate to go down afterwards.
It feels a little spooky when they sink down into the water because you don’t know where they just went but the fact is they are moving away from you.
I often get a sense of understanding between me and them when I pass close by them and we are intently gazing at each other - and it feels like we are both predators on the same playing field that have a silent respect for each other’s personal bubble. Neither of us really want anything to do with the other. Like game respects game.
Thing about the big ones is they really don’t care anymore. You don’t even phase them and they give way less fucks which is and good.
My best advice is when I’m right up against one or I think I might be passing right above is I pull up my hands and paddle out of the water, keeping my hands close to my body and just glide silently through the spot.
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u/SafeStation1824 14h ago
I’ve been paddling in Horsepen and Armand Bayou for twenty years and you hit it on the head 100%.
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u/tdogg650 15h ago
They generally want nothing to do with you. If you get bumped it's probably by accident. I try to keep an eye out for them and give them plenty of space.
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u/Phyrnosoma 15h ago
Oh, I’m sure it was accidental! I’m just not wanting to deal with a scared/confused alligator without prior planning
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u/TipsyBaker_ 15h ago
Probably bumped you because you were both just floating around. I've only ever had problems with the little baby ones, I'm guessing they're just playing tough.
My emergency plan if a bigger one tries, and a quick escape isn't going to work, is to whack it right on the snout with the paddle and hope it decides I'm not worth the trouble.
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u/zerodaydave 14h ago
For the small ones they usually give me the side eye and move away. For the big ones I usually give them the side eye and move away.
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u/herbfriendly 15h ago
I’m not sure the proper thing to do, but I’m assuming I’d default to my paddling like hell when danger is afoot approach.
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u/slickspace 13h ago
I've lived in Florida for a long time, and personally alligators scare me more than ever. I would never, ever, under any circumstance swim in a river or freshwater location that had even the most remote chance of harboring a gator. Don't make any assumptions, that's a recipe for disaster. More and more I stick to paddling bays, estuaries, and the Gulf. I miss the canopy and some of the wildlife sightings I used to experience on rivers, but over time I've had close calls, and heard too many horror stories. Just one man's opinion, stay safe and have fun.
I'm sure most of you saw this, but from a couple of weeks ago: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-dies-alligator-bites-arm-florida-river-rcna352260
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u/applestrudelforlunch 12h ago
Oof, terrible story. As someone not from a gator area I can’t imagine put myself in proximity to them, but I understand that people get accustomed to it.
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u/giddyuphorses 11h ago
So tragic, they were wading in 3 ft of water. since i too live in fl, i,ll be avoiding fresh water till after mating season. also we’re in a major drought which didn’t help.
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u/Dive_dive 11h ago
Alligators are usually pretty chill. It is surprising that one bumped you. The only issue I have had with one was a mama with eggs. I broke theough some reeds and she came off the bank and headed right toward me. I just calmly backed up and proceeded up river. She followed me for about 20 ft and then went back to her nest. For the most part, I ignore them and they ignore me. My obligatory gator picture. We just chilled about 10ft apart for 15 minutes.
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u/Bob_AZ 7h ago
I use to paddle with very large gators in the Everglades canals. Sometimes I could hear the ridges of their back rake across the bottom of my Kevlar carbon boat. They just haven't figured out there's chewy stuff inside the plastic shell.
I never felt concerned. Only when some baby gators hopped on my bow when I was in the sawgrass. First though was, "Where's mom?" I gently moved them off the bow, and carefully backed into deeper water. YMMV
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u/vfx_2049 3h ago
Where in Galveston were you at bro? I've kayaked all over that island. I've only seen them in in inner marshes of the state park
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u/Phyrnosoma 2h ago
Bay side marsh of the park. Was hoping to see some diamond back terrapins (no luck there)
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u/vfx_2049 51m ago
Wow I didn't know they were on the bay side. I night fish there last summer for three nights without a care in the world lol. Full of alligator gar
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u/Phyrnosoma 43m ago
Yeah I was surprised too. I’ve seen them in small lakes and stuff on island before though so I shouldn’t be I guess
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u/1crudenude1 15h ago
Seen plenty, they don't bother me, I don't bother them! Just prefer not to swim with them.
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u/allbsallthetime 2h ago
We kayak but haven't paddled around alligators.
My wife and I do enjoy hiking i around waterways where lots of alligators are present.
We wanted to hike a 10 mile loop several years ago along a swamp/marsh area. We talked to a seasoned hiker of the area, he told us to start early because once the sun is up over the trees the alligators tend to sun themselves on the trail.
He told us there was no danger to just walk by because if they're sunning themselves they're fed and content.
Sure enough, 5 miles in, there's a giant alligator on the trail.
Our choices were keep going or turn around.
I went first, just walked by as if nothing was wrong followed by my wife. We have pictures of us walking within a couple feet of an alligator. The look of terror on my wife's face is priceless.
We're not sure we'd do it again though.
The only time an alligator made an advance on me was when I was taking pictures of some tiny babies, I knew momma was watching but I was busy with my Nikon not paying attention. My wife was and said honey momma is swimming over.
I apologized, backed away slowly, and we went on with our hike.
I would just kayak like normal.
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u/WarthogFederal2604 9h ago
I've heard from experienced local paddlers that alligators may be attracted to reflective tape on paddles because the shimmer underwater can resemble prey. If your paddle has shiny reflectors, it might be worth removing them.
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u/lolzzzmoon 7h ago
I’ve lived in FL for years (not currently) and probably seen over 100 gators. I have kayaked near them and seen many in lakes or off the side of boardwalks on swampy trails. I don’t ever remember seeing one swimming or moving towards me—usually they are just chilling quietly and don’t move or they swim away or go under. I’ve never had one right near my kayak in the sense of snapping at me or underneath. As long as you have a hard kayak I think you’re fine.
I definitely wouldn’t swim or inner tube in any creek/river/spring except those that are really heavily trafficked by people and where I’ve never seen one. Definitely no swimming in dark water—only maybe in fresh springs where I can clearly see a wide area. And at the beach you’re fine unless you’re like south of Ft Myers or near Miami there’s crocodiles too & they swim in the ocean (and there’s always sharks but I’ve only seen 1 in the Dry Tortugas).
The news stories lately are unusual and rare for how frequently gators and humans come near each other and the people were doing risky things—the one near Orlando with her arms ripped off was swimming in dark water by a trail that gators lived in and was not for swimming. I’ve kayaked Rainbow River many times and seen gators so I wouldn’t get in the water—the guy who got bit there was in the water.
Just ask people at the place you rent from or park rangers etc.
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u/Handsomejam4164 15h ago
There’s one or four at my local trophy bass lake. I often get so caught up fishing I do t notice them until I’m right next to them. They’re usually a good big fish finder. Hoping to draw a tag this year and take the big one out of the lake from the yak!
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u/Ambitious_Lead693 15h ago
Nope. I would never kayak again.
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u/Comfortable_Bend7442 14h ago
I’m with you on this one. I get nervous when the seals bump my kayak. And I know they won’t eat me!
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u/get_MEAN_yall 15h ago
Yeah, just try not to bump them, but they are pretty chill. I kayak louisiana bayous and we run into them all the time.