Alligator Scare, worth reading.

My NOLA trip still isn't over, but I must post this experience for all to read. I must say that it was the scariest moment I have ever been involved in. Nels and I decided to go get some nature in our systems. We went down to the Ranger Station on the Bayou and asked where we could rent canoes and they pointed us on down the road to Bayou Barn. We asked a couple questions of the Rangers on safety and what to do with alligators and went on our way. Luckily we arrived at the Bayou barn as the owner was bringing supplies because They are only open Thursday through Sunday due to poor conditions of the Canal. It cost $30 for 2 hours of paddling for the two of us. We put in at the dock and paddled away. The Canal was full of life: birds, turtles, spiders, fish, bugs, and gators. The canal canopy had been destroyed by Katrina hurricane so the Algae was thriving from the extra sunlight that reached the water.

The canal was classified as clogged. There were empty spots void of all plant life but the majority of our trip was in the brush swampy area. I would describe it as floating grass at times that we could push our way through instead of paddle. I felt very safe while starting out. One bit of information I forgot to mention so far was that back at the Bayou Barn was a picture of a 12 foot alligator taken June 29, 2008. The Gator was on the property of the Barn just 2 months earlier, so we were in his territory. After about a mile of pushing, paddling and enjoying mother nature we saw a bridge for cars to cross the canal in this bayou. It was probably 200 yards away. We had just entered a clear area of water so I stopped paddling for a while to relax and try to see some alligators again. After we had traveled about 50 yards with only my cousin paddling, (Cousin Nels was in the stern and I was at the bow of the canoe), I decided to start paddling again.


The instant I put my paddle in the water a huge explosion occurred about 2 feet off my left. When I say explosion I want you to imagine a 200 pound man doing a cannon ball in a pool and picture the splash. What ever was by us didn't like us being there and he made it known. Anyway, I yelled in fright. I luckily kept my composure and remembered I was in a tipsy canoe and the worst thing would be for me to go into the water. Nels meanwhile was calm and collective, at least it seemed to me, but he later revealed that he was terrified. So my heart is racing immediately following the splash and I look over and the depression of water had to be 6 feet across of displaced water. I then paddled and looked down again, what I saw was not too comforting. Imagine being in a lake and swimming as hard as you can in shallow water. What happens is that you kick up sediment from the bottom of the lake. Well when I looked down I could see a sediment trail of about 9 to 12 feet. He was big. We paddled gently toward the bridge we saw and got out gingerly trying not to provoke a monster. We were relying on the idea that our canoe looked like a 14 foot gator to protect us. Truth be told though, that when the splash happened I thought the gator was coming out after me.



I have never been more scared in my life then that moment. After we took a break on the bridge we had no choice but to go back, so without talking about how scared I was or Nels we went back. When we had passed the near disaster spot about 500 yards I was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the trip. When we got back to the Bayou Barn we asked question relating to our experience and they kindly said, "oh yea, you know that picture of that monster? His nest is right at the second bridge. Where did this splash happen." The splash happened right by the second bridge, so very possibly this gator was 9 to 12 feet long. I was not comforted by this thought. I have no idea for sure how big this gator was, but I do know that I got closer then I would have liked. I had no idea he was there either and that is how they hunt, very stealth like.


After the experience my cousin Nels was so kind to remind me, "The splash happened up by the bow by you Sam, so he was going for you. I'm glad he didn't get you because I would have had to call Aunt Linda and say you were coming home, but not all of you." I am not glad this experience happened but I am glad I am safe now and have a great story to tell. Here is what I think happened. This gator was minding his own business in his territory just relaxing under water. Then he sees this big thing come toward him on top of the water. The tour boats that go through there feed the gators chicken to get them to come to the surface, which is very dangerous for those who don't feed them because they aren't scared of humans anymore. As our canoe approached him I wasn't paddling and the moment I put my paddle in the water he felt threatened and took off. Since gators surface with there heads above water he retreated so fast that his head made a big splash like our hands forcefully push down on water while in a pool. So truth be told he was scared of us just as much as we were scared of him. I'm just glad he didn't want to fight though and took FLIGHT.