swimming with gators | Franque23's Blog

(Avatar Magic, by Gerald Franquemont, is on Kindle and can be downloaded onto most computers or reading devices.)

I used to swim in a nearby pond with friends, we called it bare ass pond for about only one reason. It was a crystal clear body of water with a white sandy bottom with a shore line that was surrounded by heavy forest. For the most part the pond was only about 4 feet deep, but it supported a fine array of pan fish that were fun to fly fish for. And though any body of water in Florida may host alligators of various sizes, I felt secure swimming out into this pond, since the clear water helped a person see any gators that might be close by, and I always thought I could at least out swim a few others that were in the pond should trouble arise.

In fact, though plenty of people swim in cypress waters in Florida, water that turns a brownish color from the tannin found in the cypress tree leaves and stems that grow along any bank, I have always thought it nuts to do so. To me you’d have to be using air for brains to swim in dark, gator infested waters. But, I do have to say that I’m only one dive short from being in this same boat as I’ve often fished a swamp loaded with gators that have scared the bejeebers out of me. The only real difference between me and them tannin water swimmers is that I am me and they are nuts.

But to the credit of dark tannin water enthusiastic swimmers I have to agree that most gators are small, and they would rarely attack a human-like this one recently caught in Florida, south of Ocala:

whoops,,,,this one might have some size going on.

How about alligator wrestling this one?

but if you are me, I still wish this one had been left alone.

I don’t really understand why people feel they have to hunt down most large animals or reptiles. Sure, they don’t play chess and will never negotiate, but for how many years did this reptile struggle to survive, hiding out, carefully hunting and not mixing with people? I know, it’s hard to hug a gator. Reader John-thanks for the pics.

ON ANOTHER NOTE—–Here in Florida wood piles are nearly non-existent. Think about that all you Northern cousins and friends of mine!/!?!? Please enjoy these wonderful pics of wood piles sent to me by reader Mary–thank you so much for these Mary. Here’s a few run-of-the-mill wood piles-