Whats up with these gator attacks?

(duffy) · (duffy) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 05-16-2006, 4:03 PM

Living in Florida its always in the back of your mind but the love for wakeboarding keeps you out there. Every time I go down and Im waiting for that boat to come back it crosses my mind.Ive seen gators in fact Ive rode right by them at lake Thonotassa. I was probably within 20' of it before it went down.I just think there getting use to humans because of development. Another time at the same lake our rider went down and one surfaced about 30-40' behind her. That was freaky she didnt even know it was there so we told her so she would get right up and she did!

(auto) · (auto) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 05-16-2006, 4:41 PM

hungry.

(ridetilldeath) · (ridetilldeath) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 05-16-2006, 4:55 PM

cause people are stupid and go swimming at night!

i mean, just dont stay out past sunset, dont ride in reeds-which im sure no one does cause they get caught around the prop, and thats about it.
gators are super SCARED of the sound of the boat's engine. think about it, you hear a loud roaring sound, are you gunna go closer to it or go away?

(duffy) · (duffy) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 05-16-2006, 5:08 PM

Yea O.K. you see a big green thing with alot of teeth swimming in the water you going to keep riding? There just as curious as we are. Scared of the engine, didnt you read my thread one came up behind my rider while the boat was running.

(taylormade) · (taylormade) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 05-16-2006, 6:34 PM

Duffy, are you new to the area? Gators ARE, in fact, scared of boats. If one surfaced near your boat, chances are that the gator was in the water when you went by and it got scared. Gators ARE afraid of humans and boats. IF you happen to be unlucky and appear near one, they will attack you out of fear and self protection. Additionally, we're smack dab in the middle of mating season so they're much more prevalent. Wait till June-July... you won't see em around much on the lakes. Golf courses are a totally different story.

(solo) · (solo) **Join Date: Oct 2001** 05-16-2006, 6:43 PM

I found this on Google Images:
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First off, I'm not tapping a gator on the head. Second, I don't think I'll get close enough to cover it's eyes to sedate it. Third, Grabbing it's neck seems a little far fetched. I think I'll stay with running away in a straight line! Lol!

(duffy) · (duffy) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 05-17-2006, 4:29 AM

I hear you Scott I know for the most part there scared of boats and humans. However,we are scared of them as well, but we still go into the water because it becomes normal after awhile.They to get use to boats and people I think especially now that there getting over populated.Im not really worried I was just curious what other riders thought. Steven those tips are nice but they dont pertain to in the water attack. Anyway the point is you can have all the facts and figures you want,its a wild creature and you just never know.

(dreevs) · (dreevs) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-17-2006, 5:30 AM

When are one of you Aussies going to come on here and tell us about riding with Crocs?

(melanie_g) · (melanie_g) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-17-2006, 5:47 AM

It's mating season, of course you're going to have gator attacks!!! People who are attacked are not the ones sitting in the middle of the lake with a wakeboard strapped to their feet. They're the ones who are by weeded areas, canals, high banks (where they probaly have eggs nesting). This time of year you need to stay away from any wooded/swampy area. People don't realize that gators nest their eggs on high banks to protect the eggs from rising waters, if you're near areas like that you're most likely going to run into one.

(jnelson) · (jnelson) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 05-17-2006, 5:56 AM

Is the rumor true of a few deaths last week?

(auto) · (auto) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 05-17-2006, 6:54 AM

rumor hell, body parts in the stomach is conclusive

(ebone66) · (ebone66) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 05-17-2006, 6:57 AM

3 people in the last 2 weeks were killed.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-14-gator-attacks_x.htm

(byrd) · (byrd) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 05-17-2006, 7:00 AM

Yes its true...What's up Duffy. I might be riding one day after work next week if you want to come along. Maybe Thursday or Friday......

(olddude) · (olddude) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 05-17-2006, 7:11 AM

If gators are feed by humans, they loose their natural fear of us and become more aggresive. I've skied and wakeboarded in the most remote canal in Florida that has many gators for over 25 years, there are no house within miles. I've even killed 2 gators with my boat, both times running over them. One I saw, the other I hit turning close to shore and hitting him with the prop, that one was 11', we didn't see him till he was floating a few days later and you could see the where the prop ripped thru him. We also knew it was a gator because we removed large chunks of meat off the prop. One of the other boats out there wanted to start painting gators for each of the kills on the side of the boat like they do on airplanes. In all of my years riding with these creatures, I've never had one close to one. I even taught water skiing for the community college 40 hours a week for 8 years in the same location.

(tommyg) · (tommyg) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 05-17-2006, 7:46 AM

I'm headed to Orlando tomorrow (from the bay area), will be wakeboarding for the first time in Florida on Friday. Not the most comforting to come across this thread before I head out there!

Then again, there's another thread on here about snakes in the delta, so I guess we have our own issues here...

(fly135) · (fly135) **Join Date: Jun 2004** 05-17-2006, 7:50 AM

Hey Craig, do you also swerve to hit cats? :-)

(dreevs) · (dreevs) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 05-17-2006, 7:50 AM

People here need to learn to coexist with these animals somehow. Respect and caution will go a long way towards both species safety.
I personally get a kick out of someone from up norths ashen white face and comment of "are you f$%*n crazy?" - when I jump in the lake.