Snowbird season is ending and the "locals" come out to play :o ;D
https://www.facebook.com/Break/videos/10154174895562792/
Wow! An alligator. Surprised me. Is that common? Dominick
I hope not! I have enough to worry about. :o
With the new water release from Lake Okeechobee, fresh water extends into the gulf from the Caloosahatchee river, bringing the gators with it. It is becoming more common to see them in the harbor and nearby beaches.
Quote from: Dominick on April 26, 2016, 05:02:20 AM
Wow! An alligator. Surprised me. Is that common? Dominick
Not real common but not entirely uncommon either. Off of the S. Florida coastline you are more apt to see crocodiles in the surf instead of alligators.
Quote from: fsrmn on April 26, 2016, 07:43:01 AM
With the new water release from Lake Okeechobee, fresh water extends into the gulf from the Caloosahatchee river, bringing the gators with it. It is becoming more common to see them in the harbor and nearby beaches.
The problem is that the dike on Lake O can't be trusted to hold water much past 16 feet, so they have to purge before the water gets too high. We're headed into the rainy season and they need to get a few feet out of the lake in anticipation of a few tropical storms coming up soon.... a few years ago we were in drought conditions and the main inflow into the lake stopped completely.
They discharge water out the Caloosahatchee river to the west and the St. Lucie river to the east. It has messed up a lot of the fishing on the west coast for a few months now, and the fresh water discharge has caused fish kills, and the beautiful blue water of the gulf has become brown-tinged in a lot of the tourist areas.... and the tourism industry has taken a hit because of it, too.
Sid
I saw one in St joe bay last year a long way from fresh water. A few years ago he was hanging in the boat launch in the St Joseph state park near port st joe.
Quote from: Shark Hunter on April 26, 2016, 05:27:43 AM
I hope not! I have enough to worry about. :o
Hey Daron don't tell you wouldn't like to have one of those take one of your shark rigs. I bet you'd be thrilled. Dominick
Not too uncommon here. Most years one or two will be spotted in the bay near the pass. A trapper is normally called to catch the alligator when they start hanging around peirs or swimming areas. They have taken some that were pretty large. I know of one who had been in the salt water so long he had barnacles growing on him when he was caught.
Here is a bigger one caught last year.
http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/25929221-story
The way the trappers get paid for the call is they get to harvest the alligator. They can sell the meat and hide to a licenced processor. The FWC just issues a permit and tag for the trapper.
Quote from: Dominick on April 26, 2016, 08:24:06 PM
Quote from: Shark Hunter on April 26, 2016, 05:27:43 AM
I hope not! I have enough to worry about. :o
Hey Daron don't tell you wouldn't like to have one of those take one of your shark rigs. I bet you'd be thrilled. Dominick
If Bob was there to wrangle it. Yes! ;D
Sharks don't have legs.