I pre-ordered and paid for 2 lbs of stone crabs at a small building that gives Swamp Tours to see alligators. These stone crabs are common around here and sell fast. We had never tried them so I knew to buy on the way into Naples and pick up on the way back. No problem. Then when I parked the car a few hours later and got out, there was an alligator 20 feet away from me! Yes! Granted he was in the water.... but right there in front of my car staring at me. No barriers, no walls, no fence. Now, this may be common for Floridians and an every day experience for them, but as a northern Canadian girl, I looked at that alligator (let's call him Charlie, as I am sure he hovers there everyday) .....and many thoughts went through my mind. I remember many documentaries that showed alligators move quite quickly, can they outrun a human? He is only 6 feet from shore, he could swim fast, then run to me even faster. But those same documentaries show that they are not interested in humans, hmmmm. All these thoughts in seconds. Do I scream like a "girl" and look real stupid! Afterall, it is just an alligator in the swamp, quite normal. Do I get back in car and forget about the delicious stone crabs? Do I run in flip flops all the way to the building? Or walk backwards? Decisions had to made. I just turned slowly and carried on into the building like this is a normal occurence for me. When I started walking back toward my car, the Swamp Tour Air Boat was arriving down a ways and there goes Charlie.... looks like he was just waiting for the arrival of the boat. I think he knows people of a certain kind like to take pictures, maybe give him some food and he smiles for them. He was not interested in someone like me!
Yes the stone crabs were delicious. We eat only the claws. The fishermen go to their traps, break off a claw and throw the crab back into the water. These claws will grow back. Perfect.
DID YOU KNOW:
The truth is alligators do not like to run on land for long distances. It is rare for an alligator to chase a human on dry land. An average human can outrun an alligator.
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