North Carolina man has kayak rammed by alligator

I found this video rather terrifying. Guy is out in the swamps in his kayak and an alligator comes out of nowhere and physically rams his kayak, tossing him into the water. He was fortunately able to grab onto a tree and right himself.

The chap explains that it is alligator mating season (is it?) and that the alligator may have been territorial. Alligators do not usually do this sort of thing. But in a lot of places where kayakers are common, and some idiots choose to feed them, alligators get accustomed to boats and try to get attention. I have heard people say they’ve had an alligator try to climb up on their kayak before.

‘Tis the season for nutso encounters with wildlife, however. See also: Florida man on bicycle injured in crash with iguana (poor iguana) and man bit in face by alligator at Florida disc golf park.

From the last article:

A man was retrieving a disc golf Frisbee in Largo when an alligator bit him in the face, sending him to the hospital.

According to Largo Police 40-year-old Travis Spitzer was searching for disc-golf frisbees in the lake at Taylor Park around 5:00 am when the gator attacked.

Police said Spitzer was in waist-deep water and was able to pry himself free and escape, suffering cuts on his face and hands. He is expected to survive.

This wasn’t Spitzer’s first time in the lake. He’s been arrested for trespassing and collecting discs in the water a couple of times before, as recently as January.

Players tell 8 On Your Side people will go into the water to collect lost discs that usually cost $18/each and sell them back to local shops for $3/each.

“I don’t go wading deep in, the guys that do that are called ‘squids’. They do that and turn them in for money,” said player Rob Fitzjarrald.

Nope, nope, nope.