[LM1]

This is about 300 steps from my front door.

[pslOldTimer]

Originally Posted by pioneer8

...Many people enjoy the lakes, rivers, and springs. You may even canoe past one sunning itself up on the bank....

Not me. I own property which includes a 1/2 acre pond, and I wouldn't set foot in it. I recently participated in a seminar offered by our County Agricultural Extension agents called "Pond Appeal"; one of the segments was on alligators. The expert talked about the mating and migrating habits of gators, dispelled some of the myths, then stated flatly, "I wouldn't swim in any fresh water in Florida except a swimming pool. There are too many critters that could be in the water." He was talking about poisonous snakes, etc., in addition to gators. He added, 'You can always swim in the ocean."

To which I replied, "Did you know there are things in the ocean that are alive, and some of them are bigger than you?"

I look very, very carefully into my swimming pool before I get in the water...

[GatorGirl]

We have gators, you have grizzlies.

It's true that pretty much any fresh water body of water in Florida might contain gators. But there are tens of thousands of them and millions of us, and only rarely is someone injured or killed by a gator. The ones who are are either messing with it or are unfortunately the victim of a gator who has been fed.

If a gator takes up residence in a pond and grows beyond a few feet, a trapper may be able to come and get it. We had one in our pond for a while but he/she moved on. During mating season, as others have mentioned, gators are on the move but I still don't think they are highly agressive, just looking for some gator love! Twice now I've seen gators under the grate of a drainage system in the park where my children play soccer and baseball. Unfortunately, the kids would feed them and they had to be removed.

Like your bears, gators should be respected but we can usually co-exist pretty peacefully. Gators are impressive and strangely beautiful. It's amazing to think that these creatures' ancestors co-existed with the dinosaurs!!

Good luck with your move. We love Florida! GG

[summergal]

Originally Posted by GatorGirl

We have gators, you have grizzlies.

....But there are tens of thousands of them and millions of us, and only rarely is someone injured or killed by a gator. The ones who are are either messing with it or are unfortunately the victim of a gator who has been fed.

.... During mating season, as others have mentioned, gators are on the move but I still don't think they are highly agressive, just looking for some gator love!

GG

Sorry, but I couldn't disagree more. Luckily it doesn't happen very often, but those we hear about are just the ones that make it on the news. There are many close calls and insidents that are unreported. Most of these are from people not believing the seriousness and danger of swimming in fresh water or getting close to the shore or not being aware when walking out their back door. In recent memory is the German tourist who was not told of the danger and nearly lost her life swimming in a lake and also the Floridian man who had been swimming in the canal behind his house for 30 years... he was killed. Not to mention numerous pets that get eaten each year.

Also during mating season, I believe they are more aggressive because they are in competition for mates and on the move. I've seen them up close during this time and they are not pleasant creatures. They can sprint pretty quick and longe at you in aggression and they are territorial of their nesting areas. It's best just to be aware and stick to the beaches

[Alaska-Florida]

LM1, Thank you for that beautiful picture. How amazing that this is only feet from your door. Nature is awesome and it's a blessing when we are fortunate to experience scenes like this every day .

One thing I like better about FL beaches than most Hawaii beaches is that they are for the most part flat with gradual decline into the ocean. A lot of Hawaii beaches, especiaqlly when the waves are bigger during the winter, have a steep decline inot the ocean and then get deep very quickly. My mom mentioned that she liked the gentleness of the water in comparison to Hawaii. She is getting older now and the strong currents and roughness of Hawaiian water can be very difficult for the elders and youngins (I was swimming at 2 and surfing at 8, but it was scary sometimes). Although, I must say, Hawaii beaches are very beautiful in there own special way.

[Alaska-Florida]

It's interestig to see all of the different thoughts and opinions on gators.

Yes it's true, just as you have gators - we have grizzlies. The bears here come into the city every year, 1 grizzly as close as down the street from me a couple years ago. They charge people, grab babies and moll families every now and then. People go missing in Alaska every year, we have the highest missing persons report, higher than all of the lower 48 (combined, is what I was told). It does worry me though, as a mother of 3. I suppose this is a combination of natural conditions, human and animal preditors alike.

I read some statistical info on gators in Florida, correct me if I'm wrong, but it said there were apprx 300 attacks since 1948 and 3 dozen of those resulting in death. That's about 4-5 per year. When I compare this to 1-16 million residents, over a 60 year time period, it doesn't seem like very much. Don't get me wrong, I am aware that gators need be respected just as all of natures preditors. It just seems like they aren't much more of a problem than grizzlies, moose (which have killed people due to getting too close), spiders, snakes or sharks.

In Hawaii there is apprx 1 shark attack per year out of over a million swimmers per year. Here in AK I think we have about 1 million residents and several thousand visitors per year, so I guess the stats are pretty considerable.

On a side note, my daughter was bit several times by a brown recluse spider. The bites looked like huge black bruises and two weeks later turned into explosion like soars which within moments of that caused pear sized welts over her entire body. The hospital had no clue even though I pointed out the bites (the state is in denial of brown recluse spiders, but I did my research on the bite symptoms and even caught one in a jar which was in fact the BR w/ the violin shape on the head). I did everything I could to flush out her system w/ antioxidants and water and used clay to draw out the poisons. Then my other daughter got bit a year later. I was later told that those spiders are known to kill children and have caused people to lose limbs. My girls were very lucky!

Anyway, don't mean to go on, but my point is just that danger is everywhere. I guess the best thing to do is be aware "learn the ropes", but I wouldn't want to miss out on life because of fear. One of the most dangerous things, more risk than gators, sharks or grizzlies, is getting into our vehicles and driving everyday (and icey roads in AK are the worst), so I guess it's all how we look at things and how well we prepare.

Sorry for the novel ~

[angelaf]

I've been to Florida only twice, but that was enough to make me want to run away and live there, lol! I was 14 and 15 when I went, both times in the middle of horrible Minnesota winters. I've since decided I wouldn't enjoy the constant heat, but I would certainly go there again in the winter.

We went to Sarasota and Longboat Key one year, and while it was nice enough, it seemed to be full of old people in really nice cars. My friend and I borrowed these funky old bikes from the condo we were staying at and rode around town. The bikes were really old-fashioned with bells and everything. It was pretty fun.
I preferred the other year, when we went to Satellite Beach. We were only supposed to spend a night there, but my mom hurt her back and we were stuck there for almost a week but that was ok with me because I loved it there. As I remember it, it was a pretty small town but the hotel we were at had a nice beach, a little mall across the street... All I did was hang around the pool and the beach and that was like the perfect vacation for me. Not much going on around there but I liked that. We went to Cocoa Beach that year too, but I didn't like that as much-- too many people.

[angelaf]

As a matter of fact, if you look up Satellite Beach on city-data.com, you'll see a pic of the view from the Ramada Hotel... that's where we stayed, and it looks like that pic could have been taken from the room we were in! Good times...

[Mountain Man]

I am down here Contracting Roofing from Western NC and I was on the West coast around Clearwater and Beaches were Pretty but Crowded and lots of traffic. I just relocated in Vero Beach and I think its beautiful here the beaches are nice and its a lot easier to travel around (less traffic)

[Alaska-Florida]

Angelaf, Satellite beach sounds very nice. I think I did see that picture but I'll have to look back. How long ago was it that you were down there? I wonder how much it's changed.

Mountainman, are you in (verno beach) Florida now, or were you refering to NC?