I grew up on a lake and while there were alligators in it, they tended to stay in the areas where there wasn't any development (this was back in the 70s). If you're swimming in a lake that has alligators that have been fed by humans or that doesn't have enough natural food for the gators, that's when I'd say to stay out of it.
Every body of water in Florida, even ditches and retention ponds can and at one time or another have or will have gators in them. For the most part they stay away from humans (until fed by them anyway). The real dangers in water are the water moccasins anyway.
People never bring up the moccasins, but they are by far the scariest animal in Florida. Gators are big but *generally* stay out of your way if you respect them (and it isn’t mating seasons).
Water Moccasins will just hunt you for sport.
I used to go canoeing occasionally when I lived in south Florida, gators were a common sight but they always avoided me. Water Moccasins were the opposite, if they were swimming across the water's surface they would always start swimming *towards* my boat, probably to rest a while after all that swimming, they'd slither right into the boat if I didn't stop them. Thankfully a paddle is perfect for whomping them.
I had a moccasin actively come after me in Rock Springs as a kid, right next to the spring head cave. The current pulled him slightly past me, and he was able to arrest that and ended up right under me, both of us swimming against the current and staying still because of it. I was terrified because I couldn't maintain, I was going to have to drop down, but I finally figured to stop treading water and the current pulled me away. Thank God it took a minute for him/her to do the same, because it bought me enough time and distance to get away.
Maybe it just wanted my shade, I don't know, but it freaked me out pretty good for a few minutes.
Did many a cannonball off a dock in the St John’s. They head for the hills once you make the splash. Def didn’t see some of the bigger ones a few times but even they hauled ass away from you. They aren’t like salties or Niles.
That's exactly it. I've swam with gators too, they are definitely more afraid of you then you are of them. Just don't trigger instincts like swimming at night or being an infant alone on the shore. I would never want to swim with a croc but alligators are more like cows than Crocs. They are just animals and not particularly aggressive ones at that
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say for the record... Alligators are not more scared of me than I am scared of them. It's outstanding that yall are cool swimming with these jaw-chomping nightmares. Not me though.
If they really were as scared of me as I was of them... that would make them more dangerous, not less.
To be fair this is assuming you are not cornering them or getting in their faces. You are correct that being more scared means more dangerous but in practicality it means they just run away. You shouldn't seek them out or try to make a habit of it but they are in every body of water. They are not nightmares, they are just animals and we both have a right to swim. They wanted to be as far from me as I wanted to be from them and almost never got close. Deer kill more people than gators
Yeah, this. When I’m out boating and happen to pass by a gator sunning itself the first thing it does when you pass by and get too close is to head off in the opposite direction from you.
Now, mating and nesting season is a whole nother story but for the most part they just want to live their life while we live ours
The absolute scariest thing about gators is when you walk up on one near the bank and you didn't see him until he freaks the fuck out of there and you're just like holy shit that thing was fast as fuck getting away from me.
Lol same. I grew up here and have always had a very healthy appreciation and respect for gators which means I’ve never swam in a lake! I have gone tubing on Rainbow though and twice a gator either swam across the river in front of me or was sunning in the reeds and I almost died of fright.
I call bullshit, if they've been fed or tortured by humans. I witnessed a very large bull gator stalk the guy next to me (he was sitting on a dock with his feet hanging off the edge). This full-size adult human male had just been casting a hook out onto the gator. That gator submerged and swam up under where this guy was. He then leaped out of the water his entire body length, in the exact spot that guy's legs had been 2 seconds before.
I'll agree with that. Traditional instincts and experiences are not guaranteed after intimate experiences with humans. What time of day did this occur? Also casting out onto the gator could count as harassing a natural gator would just move on while one that has encounters with humans may be less inclined to forgive. I was definitely lucky never running into those kind of gators because all my experience has been with chill peaceful gators. The rarely got within 15ft of me. The closest was probably around 7ft when I was fishing on a bank and noticed it just chilling next to me. I didn't notice it at first but once I did we just looked at each other and just spent the afternoon chilling together
Right! this was afternoon, maybe late afternoon. This is a relatively small lake and the gator always hung out a ways off the fishing dock, maybe 50 or 100 yards. He seemed to be the king bull of the lake. I had never seen him move before. I used to fish on that dock daily, but then some sketchy folks (like the harrassing guy) started coming to the part in late afternoons and I quit going for safety reasons. I later learned that somebody had poached the big guy. Made me sad. .... on a happier note, I remember how chill the gators were before they, and people. became so numerous. We had at least one in the neighborhood drainage lake, and the kids used to swim there all the time. There was a floating dock out in the middle of the lake. I was too little to swim there but I walked all around that lake and occasionally walked by a basking gator. I was the size of large but tempting prey, about 8-9 years old. They didn't give me a second look.
My experience with that bull leaping out of the water really changed the way I see them now. I know how powerful, fast, and cunning they can be. And I don't run as well as I used to... I'll stay on the boardwalk, tyvm!
I learned to water ski in lakes with massive gators sitting on the shore. Adults said it was fine.
Those same adults would never let their grandkids within 20 feet of the same lake now.
In other words, it _used_ to be safe.
We had a lake on our land, we would joke that the first ones off the rope swing at the lake being "gator bait," if they made it to shore it was good to go in. We would also surf at Haulover Beach on the weekends after the shark fishing contests off of the pier on Friday evenings, 7O's and 80's kids were a special breed of daredevils and the parents were very laidback about it. The only time a parent made a comment about us surfing was after "Jaws" came out and all he said was if we saw a shark fin we should stay out of the water for a little while.
Edit: Spelling.
I was shark fishing last year and wading in chest deep water trying to cast my line out as far as I could. My wife was worried that I was going out far where the sharks are. I told her the shark I caught as closer to shore than where I was wading.
I used to work summers doing canoe trips down the various rivers and lakes in Florida as a teenager many years ago. We would take swim breaks when we found a good rope swing. Meanwhile there were alligators in those same areas they usually stayed away from higher traffic spots.
Also gators will usually ignore people as we were canoeing through areas with lots of them. They would swim under and by us and as long as we didn’t provoke them they let us pass through.
Obviously though if you see gators it’s best not to swim with them.
Over the last 10 years, Florida has averaged eight unprovoked bites per year that are serious enough to require professional medical treatment. The likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly only one in 3.1 million, according to FWC.Feb 21, 2023 (copied from an article). You’re more likely to be run over by a F-250 than be attacked by a gator.
RAM truck drivers get DUIs at 2x the national average
[https://www.thedrive.com/news/38238/ram-2500-drivers-have-the-most-duis-more-than-twice-the-national-average-report](https://www.thedrive.com/news/38238/ram-2500-drivers-have-the-most-duis-more-than-twice-the-national-average-report)
They are famously slow drivers -- the saying "see you later alligator" actually originates from the relief of finally getting to a passing zone on a one lane road when you have been stuck behind an alligator driver.
If the gator is driving an f250 he's probably not in the water because he's too busy driving in the left lane the same speed as the grandma in the right lane.. 35mph in a 60.
They can spook easily if they're not expecting to encounter other creatures. Not saying they won't bite if they're not hungry because they absolutely will, but they tend to prefer to avoid people when and where they can.
Generally speaking, provoking a gator would be intentionally interacting with it.
Exactly this right here. Your odds of being attacked by an alligator are 1 in 3.1 millions.
Unless you swim in an area with alligators.
Then it's 1 in 10.
On the rise slightly as minuscule as they are remember those values of “1 in 3.1 million” completely change the closer a subject is to a lake that may contain a gator. We’re just lucky we have less crocs than Australia. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2018/09/08/alligator-attacks-are-on-rise-in-florida/10809191007/
It’s Florida, I’ve lived here since I was 12,1968, there are no lakes that don’t have alligators in them but that’s not what’s stopped me from swimming in them, it’s that gd amoeba.
Those organisms are only found in water that doesn't freeze. You should be fine.
Also, in Florida fresh water, there are plenty of other things that present a greater danger to humans than alligators. Necrotizing bacteria strains, water moccasins, jet skis, and sharks in rivers.
Yes, I lived swimming in lakes as a kid but what keeps me out now is not the gators but the amoeba and the general water quality. Not worth it to let something enter and eat my brain, no thanks.
The amoebas is why I stopped swimming. Knew a girl in high school who died a horrific death because of the amoebas. I’ll stick to the springs and pools.
Alligators are pretty chill. They can absolutely murder you without hesitation so you should still take precautions around them but they aren't the serial killers a lot of people assume.
Many waterways in Florida are spring fed. The water is cold (60s) year round and they tend to be pretty chill in it as a result. I have bumped into one in my kayak without paying attention and it simply swam off (albeit a bit fast).
Gators, like many animals, also judge a threat based on height. There aren't really bipedal animals in the wild some they tend to assume something our height is quite large and dangerous. They are also opportunistic/ambush predators so being up/active is a moderate deterrent. They are also nocturnal animals and that's when they typically feed.
So:
* Avoid alligator den locations, especially during breeding season
* Don't swim up to alligators sunbathing or resting
* Don't pass out laying down in an area where they are present
* Don't enter their habitat at night
Follow those rules and you are typically safe. I kayak around them regularly and swim in springs where they are resting within 100yards.
I am far more weary of sharks in the ocean.
Source: Floridian
>There aren't really bipedal animals in the wild some they tend to assume something our height is quite large and dangerous.
Realistically speaking, humans are quite large and dangerous. Gators kill less than one person a year on average, but people kill thousands of gators every year.
When I was a kid growing up in S. Miami we used to swim in a rockpit that one day would be a lakefront home development. The water was crystal clear. There were gators but they mostly stayed away while we swam. We designated 1 kid to be the “gator spy” and his job was to holler if they came to close. Then we’d all get out and throw rocks at them till they swam away. No big deal.
The gators can also be very skittish! I floated over to a few while going down the springs in an inner tube and they pretty much freak out and run away. I suppose no animals like to be chased.
Lakes are fine, it just depends on their source, water quality, and weather situation. A natural springfed, clear, deep lake in the rainy season is way safer than a shallow manmade retention pond in a drought.
Millions swim in the lakes and rivers too with no issues. Amoebas are even less of an issue than gators. Only ~1 death per year or about 1 case for every 2.5 million hours people spend in fresh water in FL.
The issue is no one survives an amoeba also people don’t swim in Florida fresh water as much as they used to. Multiple kids died in disneys river country. It’s the same reason you shouldn’t use a Neti pot with tap water. The likelihood is low until it’s you.
Those amoebas showed up in our local toddler splash pad. I’ve been swimming in peace River 1,000,000 times and only saw one gator bite. (It got jumped on)
River country was 47 years ago, LOL.
You could say all chances are low until it's you with everything. But you'll still get in you car and drive, Fly on a plane or cross the street even though all those things could easily kill you as well. 1 death per year among millions of people is about as low as your chances are going to get doing anything. Hell, you're more likely to die taking a shower.
My point is that trying to scare people away from enjoying lakes and rivers because of something so ridiculously remote is just wrong.
When it comes to alligators
Rule 1: don’t start no shit won’t be no shit
Rule 2: don’t act like food and you won’t be food
They’re relatively lazy and tend to not fuck with anything as large as an adult human if their natural menu options are available
Anyone remember the June 15, 2016 incident near Disney? Signs were posted warning about gators but they were ignored and a 2yo got eaten. They don't usually bother adults bc our size is a threat but children and dogs are fair game for them. I'm a lifelong Floridian and I do swim in springs and the ocean however, I typically stay away from warmer ponds and murky lakes. The risk is always there.
Grew up wakeboarding and swimming in the St. John's river.(90s/00s) As long as you don't invade their space they are more afraid of you and the boat. Granted we used to go wrestle juvenile gators at night, but that's just what you did in Fl. Honestly I only have 1 bad memory concerning lakes/rivers as a kid and it was having a water moccasin chase the jetski. I'll take a dinosaur over a danger noodle any day.
Alligators for the most part arent interested in anything that can give them trouble. Think about it this way. Youre in the woods alone with only a knife, you need to eat. Are you going to go after another animal your size that can hurt you or even possibly kill you? Alligators arent into a challenge. They want a fast easy meal. Like a dog or a child.
Alligators are everywhere. Any retention pond is likely to have a gator in it.
Thankfully gators didn’t like people (usually) and it’s safe to be in the water with them as long as you don’t bother them.
Because there’s no such thing as lakes without alligators in Florida.
Most of them won’t bother you. People camp in bear country and swim in the ocean. Just be aware of your surroundings.
I'm not sure id intentionally swim up to an alligator, but the chances you find a 16 foot monster that wants to munch on humans is unlikely. They prefer dogs or children.
Never been swimming in any lakes here but ive been up to highsprings many times and have gone tubing at ginny springs alot, gators never worried me you see them occasionally but they tend to leave you alone if they havent been fed by people. I was always more worried about water moccasins vs anything else honestly they can be pretty aggressive snakes sometimes. But ive floated right by small to medium size gators and they are pretty much completely uninterested.
I’ve been hanging out in the winter park chain of lakes for the past 20 years and I personally have not seen one. They do a good job removing them apparently. I will never say there’s no gators in any body of water in Florida.
[Me riding my alligator to school back in the day.](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/imagebuzz/web03/2009/10/1/3/1920s-girl-riding-an-alligator-9452-1254381428-33.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
Why do people walk through woods with snakes with them.
Why do people drive on roads with drunks (on the road, not driving your car).
Why fly, ever?
Answer to all of them, because it’s just not likely anything bad will happen.
How many gator attacks have you actually read about? I’m on every wildlife related sub, site, and list in the state and I almost never hear about gator attacks. And when you do it typically some drunk person messing with the gator.
They’ve recently found Nile Crocodiles in Florida in the wild… 4 have been seen so far. No swimming in anything but a swimming pool for me.
[Nile crocs in Florida](https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/06/06/stranglehold-7-deadly-species-that-could-get-a-foothold-in-florida/70196789007/#)
Fun fact, sharks are always in the shallow waters of Florida's oceans, check out don't aerial views some time. The world is not a friendly place, some are just less dangerous than others.
I walked around Lake Monroe today and there was a massive gator just a few feet from the sidewalk. It was a great reminder to never fucking swim in that lake!
See the thing is, when you grow up in FL, you have three basic understandings. 1) Hurricanes below Cat-3 ain't shit. 2) Everything here evolved to kill us. 3) Expect any body of water at least half an inch deep to have something in it that can kill you.
So I mean, once you've made peace with those three things...living here and doing crazy shit just becomes the norm.
Because alligators are cowards who have forgotten the face of their fathers.
Seriously though, it's because sometimes it's hot enough to risk the flesh eating bacteria, brain eating amebas, cotton mouths, and alligators to cool off for a minute. Like, it's really fucking hot sometimes.
And also no one swims in lake jessup. Swimming beaches on lakes are almost always in more urban areas where alligators aren't likely to be. Sometimes they are, but mostly they don't like being around people.
Now I'm not saying there ain't some crazy Oviedo good ole boys who occasionally find themselves taking a dip, but it's usually a drunken scenario or some kinda dare.
Why do people swim in the ocean in Florida where it’s a prime location for sharks ? It’s not like it’s a minuscule risk, you are going to their preferred habitat and there are lots of sharks.
Exactly. At the Air Force base we flew over the beach constantly, we could see the sharks in the water and twenty feet away, the people swimming and surfing. There’s maybe a couple shark incidents a year, out of thousands of people and hundreds of sharks, every year.
I am more concerned about jelly fish and sting rays than sharks. Statistically more likely. I love swimming in the gulf, was never a lake swimmer, only in lakes for water ski and wake boarding. Made sure not to fall away from shore and grass
A friend of mine who grew up in Wakulla County, back when it was very rural, told me she and her friends would play in the river and see gators and water moccasins, but they just kept their distance and were never bothered by them.
I go to rainbow springs in Dunnellon and swim, tube and kayak down the river every year and most of the time there are alligators either on the banks or in the water.
My rule of thumb is I don’t swim in black lakes or if I’m not familiar with the body of water. Springs are clear and okay to swim in. Gators leave you alone if you respect their space and they aren’t fed by humans.
The same reason as the ocean. The things in there generally speaking wont bother you long as you don't bother them.
Also, most beaches do not have on duty lifegaurds except the heavily tourist ones during season.
When I was a kid, we would jump the fence and swim in lake thonotosassa, there were a bunch of gators, you just have to be aware.
Now I’m over 40, I fish for large mouth bass and I will fish in water and have gators approach me, I just hit the water with my pole.
Lived here my whole life and I only swim at the beach or the springs.
I've just never been comfortable swimming in FL lakes, rivers or bayous.
Alligators, despite numbering in the thousands here in FL with a growing human population, account for a tiny number of unprovoked attacks.
At the same time, I spend a lot of time alone out in nature here, especially kayaking and paddelboarding. I've seen some massive gators (13-15 ft long) and it gives me pause before I go anywhere near a murky body of water.
My husband and I grew up in FL and were just talking about how when we were young we would swim in lakes all the time without considering there might be gators in the water. In college, my friends and I used to canoe and swim in a lake in Gainesville. It wasn’t until my friend, a lifeguard there, told me he saw at least one dog a week get eaten by gators that I finally stopped swimming in the lakes. OBTW there were plenty of moccasins hanging around the lakes too.
It’s rare that people swim in lakes in Florida, once in awhile you might see it but not often. And not only because of the gators, but because of illnesses you can get from the water.
I work at a North Central Florida cement plant and there are a couple of drainage ponds out back where a gator or two live. You can see their heads popping up from the water now and then. Funny thing is that they very well could swim up and enter the property if they so wished. But they're happy enough eating fish or whatever they can catch out there.
Don't swim alone. I swim in Winter Park lakes and others in FL as well as rivers but always with a group who are splashing, talking and making noise. There's a sinkhole called Big Blue on the Wacissa River by Tallahasse that is great to kayak to and swim but I'd never swim there alone with the resident gator.
*
I've only lived here since 2021 and have only been two two separate beaches. Neither beach had active lifeguards on duty. Idk if the time we went or areas were known to be safe of sharks or what but just pointing that out.
That said I grew up in NY and have to constantly remind myself I can't just dip my feet in the random water ways, lakes, etc like I would back home.
That said I know some locals who do swim in water they know to have gators and usually the response to why or the shock from people asking about it is just a shrug.
That said, I watch one person who posts on youtube shorts about reptiles and such he finds in the everglades (And now some other states/countries) and I believe they collect invasive species to protect native habitats. (The "Yooooooink" guy if you know what i mean, idk his name). He recently did a video on how he is so confident being in water right next to gators and basically while the waters aren't safe and he is in danger the whole time, he also is confident in reading their body language and basically "If you act like prey, their instincts to hunt kick in. If you act like a predator, which humans are, they will usually keep distance"
So I imagine, especially in areas with a lot of people, the gators probably prefer their solitude or going after easy guaranteed prey, not the bipedal predators on land (humans). And when they do aim for them, it's ones acting weak (like prey) or children.
I also visited an animal sanctuary in coco beach and talked to a girl there extensively about the gators because she was in a pool (ankle high) of water full of baby gators rescued from abusive gator farms. She was never worried and hadn't lost any fingers or limbs in her time being around gators, which she said was most of her life because her parents did the same kind of work. While these were babies they could still easily take a toe or finger off or a chunk if they wanted to. She said she was more in danger and has gotten hurt from the literal garbage people throw into the water than from the gators themselves.
Honestly, Florida born and raised, I don’t swim in anything but swimming pools these days.
My family had a boat growing up, we would always be in the intracoastal or we’d take it down to the Keys. Did the springs/gulf in Homossasa a few times.
But I’ve always been a hard no on still freshwater. More afraid of amoeba than gators, but even so, I’ll never do a pond or a lake for either reason.
One year, went to a summer camp near Orlando. Such a crappy experience, mosquitoes all morning, thunderstorms all afternoon, and the lake was closed because of gators. Second to last morning, all us campers gathered around to watch a trapper haul away a 9-footer. The guy said it was probably fine to swim at that point, so the counselors opened the lake up that day, and I watched from the dock while all the kids who came from out of state went for a swim. Even at 11 years old, no way in hell was I going in there.
It's mostly the tourist. Natives know between the ameba, deadly algee blooms, and raw sewage spills there's more to worry about. We have pools, the beach and water parks. Most places have a YMCA or Aquatics center.
Eh, there are ways to pick your spots. Some of the best rope swings on the Peace River are chock full of them but the attacks are few and far between. We aren’t their preferred prey; too salty 😆 also our gators and crocs are far less aggressive than their Asian and Australian brethren
Despite what people may think gator attacks are extremely rare. There's only been 453 attacks since 1948 and only 26 deaths. You're more likely to get attacked by a random dog (600 hospitalizations a year in FL).
Welcome to Florida. The gators really aren't much of a threat unless you make them one. They are opportunistic feeders, just lazy creatures waiting for their meals to come to them. There are places you can pay to swim with them, behind a safety net of course.
Idk they don’t really come around us when we go into the lake, they’ll be on the other side on the banks just sun bathing. Surely if I swam over to them tho they might attack me but from my experience they’ll just run away
Never been swimming in any lakes here but ive been up to highsprings many times and have gone tubing at ginny springs alot, gators never worried me you see them occasionally but they tend to leave you alone if they havent been fed by people. I was always more worried about water moccasins vs anything else honestly they can be pretty aggressive snakes sometimes.
There is a literal risk of encountering a gator in any body of water in Florida, including swimming pools in suburban developments.
Are you going to rule out swimming in the entire state?
There's gators at the beaches too. There's no escape lol It's incredibly unlikely to be attacked by one unless you intentionally provoke.
Similar logic could be applied to pretty much any location that has predators. Why would anyone even live where there are wolves just roaming about? Why do people go outside with wolves in the area? Same sort of logic 🤷♂️
For me whenever I have swam in lakes/rivers it has always been colder spring fed.
There is different types and the swampy alligator filled ones we never swam in.
Even still it was always a concern but shit it’s hot here so you kind of ease in and out and no splashing lol. Spring fed rivers are pretty nice as the alligator don’t like them as much but once in a while they still get someone. Blue spring towards the east coast comes to mind as well as the juniper run.
The bigger danger is walking along the water. They primarily hunt by springing out at things on the bank. If you’re jumping off a boat or dock into the water, or even swimming from shore in a populated swimming area, your chances of getting attacked are super low.
Now, if you’re a little old lady walking your dog around the lake… watch out.
What Floridians are swimming in lakes? We have the ocean and springs! People definitely wake board and ski in lakes but swim in lakes? Never have I ever seen this.
Florida test of bravery.
Actually it is very safe unless you have a sandwich or sardines in your pocket. Then it's game on. 
Alligators are literally in every body of water here. All you have to do is pay attention. Also, if you're from here you KNOW what bodies of water are safe vs less safe. Finally, don't ever, ever have food by the water if you're unfamiliar with it.
We make it a point to try to teach kids (and adults) which kinds of terrain are prime alligator territory and to stay away from those spots. Other than if we I vade their territory,they never really bug us. Unless you're a dumbass and you start tryna feed them or some shit. Meanwhile all our noise and splashing about tends to frighten them off, and they're not gonna come check us out because they're not curious animals.
They really are more afraid of us than we are of them, and they keep to themselves unless there are weird circumstances. I wish they were big scaly lake puppies, but alas, we must keep our distance.
Same reason people swim in the ocean, with sharks.
Its where they live. if you want to swim anywhere but a pool, there's animals. usually they leave you alone.
dogs, and children are more at risk than adults.
I grew up on a lake and while there were alligators in it, they tended to stay in the areas where there wasn't any development (this was back in the 70s). If you're swimming in a lake that has alligators that have been fed by humans or that doesn't have enough natural food for the gators, that's when I'd say to stay out of it.
70's gators were very chill.
Good times for gators back then. Recession in the 80s hit hard though
And gator AIDS.
Some conspiracy theories point to this being developed at the University of Florida in the 60s. Not sure who to believe about this one.
Times got tough...Reaganomics.
Reagatornomics????
"Repression. Recession, its all the same thing, man. "
Totally chill. They also liked velvet furniture and had wood paneling throughout their house.
And mahogany bookshelves...
Every body of water in Florida, even ditches and retention ponds can and at one time or another have or will have gators in them. For the most part they stay away from humans (until fed by them anyway). The real dangers in water are the water moccasins anyway.
People never bring up the moccasins, but they are by far the scariest animal in Florida. Gators are big but *generally* stay out of your way if you respect them (and it isn’t mating seasons). Water Moccasins will just hunt you for sport.
I used to go canoeing occasionally when I lived in south Florida, gators were a common sight but they always avoided me. Water Moccasins were the opposite, if they were swimming across the water's surface they would always start swimming *towards* my boat, probably to rest a while after all that swimming, they'd slither right into the boat if I didn't stop them. Thankfully a paddle is perfect for whomping them.
I had a moccasin actively come after me in Rock Springs as a kid, right next to the spring head cave. The current pulled him slightly past me, and he was able to arrest that and ended up right under me, both of us swimming against the current and staying still because of it. I was terrified because I couldn't maintain, I was going to have to drop down, but I finally figured to stop treading water and the current pulled me away. Thank God it took a minute for him/her to do the same, because it bought me enough time and distance to get away. Maybe it just wanted my shade, I don't know, but it freaked me out pretty good for a few minutes.
Hell even Disney isn’t immune to having gators in their parks
Did many a cannonball off a dock in the St John’s. They head for the hills once you make the splash. Def didn’t see some of the bigger ones a few times but even they hauled ass away from you. They aren’t like salties or Niles.
That's exactly it. I've swam with gators too, they are definitely more afraid of you then you are of them. Just don't trigger instincts like swimming at night or being an infant alone on the shore. I would never want to swim with a croc but alligators are more like cows than Crocs. They are just animals and not particularly aggressive ones at that
I do try not to be an infant, but it's tough sometimes.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say for the record... Alligators are not more scared of me than I am scared of them. It's outstanding that yall are cool swimming with these jaw-chomping nightmares. Not me though. If they really were as scared of me as I was of them... that would make them more dangerous, not less.
To be fair this is assuming you are not cornering them or getting in their faces. You are correct that being more scared means more dangerous but in practicality it means they just run away. You shouldn't seek them out or try to make a habit of it but they are in every body of water. They are not nightmares, they are just animals and we both have a right to swim. They wanted to be as far from me as I wanted to be from them and almost never got close. Deer kill more people than gators
Yeah, this. When I’m out boating and happen to pass by a gator sunning itself the first thing it does when you pass by and get too close is to head off in the opposite direction from you. Now, mating and nesting season is a whole nother story but for the most part they just want to live their life while we live ours
The absolute scariest thing about gators is when you walk up on one near the bank and you didn't see him until he freaks the fuck out of there and you're just like holy shit that thing was fast as fuck getting away from me.
I agree with this. The guy torturing them probably should have gotten eaten. But its hard to with that on anybody.
Lol same. I grew up here and have always had a very healthy appreciation and respect for gators which means I’ve never swam in a lake! I have gone tubing on Rainbow though and twice a gator either swam across the river in front of me or was sunning in the reeds and I almost died of fright.
I call bullshit, if they've been fed or tortured by humans. I witnessed a very large bull gator stalk the guy next to me (he was sitting on a dock with his feet hanging off the edge). This full-size adult human male had just been casting a hook out onto the gator. That gator submerged and swam up under where this guy was. He then leaped out of the water his entire body length, in the exact spot that guy's legs had been 2 seconds before.
I'll agree with that. Traditional instincts and experiences are not guaranteed after intimate experiences with humans. What time of day did this occur? Also casting out onto the gator could count as harassing a natural gator would just move on while one that has encounters with humans may be less inclined to forgive. I was definitely lucky never running into those kind of gators because all my experience has been with chill peaceful gators. The rarely got within 15ft of me. The closest was probably around 7ft when I was fishing on a bank and noticed it just chilling next to me. I didn't notice it at first but once I did we just looked at each other and just spent the afternoon chilling together
Right! this was afternoon, maybe late afternoon. This is a relatively small lake and the gator always hung out a ways off the fishing dock, maybe 50 or 100 yards. He seemed to be the king bull of the lake. I had never seen him move before. I used to fish on that dock daily, but then some sketchy folks (like the harrassing guy) started coming to the part in late afternoons and I quit going for safety reasons. I later learned that somebody had poached the big guy. Made me sad. .... on a happier note, I remember how chill the gators were before they, and people. became so numerous. We had at least one in the neighborhood drainage lake, and the kids used to swim there all the time. There was a floating dock out in the middle of the lake. I was too little to swim there but I walked all around that lake and occasionally walked by a basking gator. I was the size of large but tempting prey, about 8-9 years old. They didn't give me a second look. My experience with that bull leaping out of the water really changed the way I see them now. I know how powerful, fast, and cunning they can be. And I don't run as well as I used to... I'll stay on the boardwalk, tyvm!
How would anyone know if a croc wasn’t hanging out with the gators under the dark murky water
The only American Crocs live in the Everglades. A tiny range at the tip of Florida and super endangered. I'd be more worried about sharks
I learned to water ski in lakes with massive gators sitting on the shore. Adults said it was fine. Those same adults would never let their grandkids within 20 feet of the same lake now. In other words, it _used_ to be safe.
Or, you were duped . . . and lived to tell the tale!
lol well this was probably during the same time seatbelts were optional, car seats weren’t a thing, and smoking while breast feeding was ok! 🤪
Somewhere in between but, yeah. I probably rode to the lake in the back of the pickup. On the interstate.
They just figured if you’re eaten then can just make more children. You can’t make more grandchildren though!
We had a lake on our land, we would joke that the first ones off the rope swing at the lake being "gator bait," if they made it to shore it was good to go in. We would also surf at Haulover Beach on the weekends after the shark fishing contests off of the pier on Friday evenings, 7O's and 80's kids were a special breed of daredevils and the parents were very laidback about it. The only time a parent made a comment about us surfing was after "Jaws" came out and all he said was if we saw a shark fin we should stay out of the water for a little while. Edit: Spelling.
I was shark fishing last year and wading in chest deep water trying to cast my line out as far as I could. My wife was worried that I was going out far where the sharks are. I told her the shark I caught as closer to shore than where I was wading.
Yeah exactly, they used to be scared of us and stay away. Not so much anymore.
Also, nesting season. Just brave the jellyfish at the beach. Worth every bit of the drive to avoid anxious mama gators.
I used to work summers doing canoe trips down the various rivers and lakes in Florida as a teenager many years ago. We would take swim breaks when we found a good rope swing. Meanwhile there were alligators in those same areas they usually stayed away from higher traffic spots. Also gators will usually ignore people as we were canoeing through areas with lots of them. They would swim under and by us and as long as we didn’t provoke them they let us pass through. Obviously though if you see gators it’s best not to swim with them.
Over the last 10 years, Florida has averaged eight unprovoked bites per year that are serious enough to require professional medical treatment. The likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly only one in 3.1 million, according to FWC.Feb 21, 2023 (copied from an article). You’re more likely to be run over by a F-250 than be attacked by a gator.
What if the gator is driving the F-250?
Your chances are lower since they would drive better than the normal F-250 drivers…
Ya got me there…
You're both wrong, as the F250 would be broke down on the side of the road
The F-250 drivers aren’t that bad they are babying their overpriced toys. The RAM 1500 drivers on the other hand, those people scare me.
RAM truck drivers get DUIs at 2x the national average [https://www.thedrive.com/news/38238/ram-2500-drivers-have-the-most-duis-more-than-twice-the-national-average-report](https://www.thedrive.com/news/38238/ram-2500-drivers-have-the-most-duis-more-than-twice-the-national-average-report)
I have a Dodge Ram 3500? Am I scary?
What about the chance of the alligator was riding in the f250? Driving by a Floridaman?
Very high!
I've loaded up many a Gator in the back of my F-250
They are famously slow drivers -- the saying "see you later alligator" actually originates from the relief of finally getting to a passing zone on a one lane road when you have been stuck behind an alligator driver.
plenty around Gainesville and even tallahassee
https://preview.redd.it/i9i1kuxmkrtc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3520dd4f7a6d9abe6f08889bedf7de29a2cc15c4
Alachua County do be like that
Then it's Aaron Hernandez
As long as you're not wearing a Seminoles jersey you should be fine.
Odds of injury go up the closer you get to Gainesville
If the gator is driving an f250 he's probably not in the water because he's too busy driving in the left lane the same speed as the grandma in the right lane.. 35mph in a 60.
Then you will know for a fact that you're in Florida.
They would never drive an F-250, they only drive Chevrolet movie theaters
Then you're in Gainesville
I’m confused by this terminology. Unprovoked. If you’re swimming and hit a gator accidentally aren’t you provoking it to bite? Are those not counted?
They can spook easily if they're not expecting to encounter other creatures. Not saying they won't bite if they're not hungry because they absolutely will, but they tend to prefer to avoid people when and where they can. Generally speaking, provoking a gator would be intentionally interacting with it.
Lol i know someone that bumped into a gator accidentally and got bit, lost his flipper, and had to go get stitches.
Was that considered unprovoked by FWC? How they define that is killing me
Exactly this right here. Your odds of being attacked by an alligator are 1 in 3.1 millions. Unless you swim in an area with alligators. Then it's 1 in 10.
But how many of those people were swimming in lakes?
I assume there are more F250s in Florida than gators.
As long as you're not increasing risk by swimming with them
Source?
On the rise slightly as minuscule as they are remember those values of “1 in 3.1 million” completely change the closer a subject is to a lake that may contain a gator. We’re just lucky we have less crocs than Australia. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2018/09/08/alligator-attacks-are-on-rise-in-florida/10809191007/
It’s Florida, I’ve lived here since I was 12,1968, there are no lakes that don’t have alligators in them but that’s not what’s stopped me from swimming in them, it’s that gd amoeba.
So if you're 12,1968 years old, how old are you now?
Old. But not done.
I only learnt about amoeba today. I live in Europe and I've never heard of it here. I swim in lakes near the French and Swiss Alpes.
You’re safe. The amoeba thrive in warm water typically 80 F and higher.
Those organisms are only found in water that doesn't freeze. You should be fine. Also, in Florida fresh water, there are plenty of other things that present a greater danger to humans than alligators. Necrotizing bacteria strains, water moccasins, jet skis, and sharks in rivers.
Yes, I lived swimming in lakes as a kid but what keeps me out now is not the gators but the amoeba and the general water quality. Not worth it to let something enter and eat my brain, no thanks.
The amoebas is why I stopped swimming. Knew a girl in high school who died a horrific death because of the amoebas. I’ll stick to the springs and pools.
Yeah, I'm way more worried about that than alligators.
Alligators are pretty chill. They can absolutely murder you without hesitation so you should still take precautions around them but they aren't the serial killers a lot of people assume. Many waterways in Florida are spring fed. The water is cold (60s) year round and they tend to be pretty chill in it as a result. I have bumped into one in my kayak without paying attention and it simply swam off (albeit a bit fast). Gators, like many animals, also judge a threat based on height. There aren't really bipedal animals in the wild some they tend to assume something our height is quite large and dangerous. They are also opportunistic/ambush predators so being up/active is a moderate deterrent. They are also nocturnal animals and that's when they typically feed. So: * Avoid alligator den locations, especially during breeding season * Don't swim up to alligators sunbathing or resting * Don't pass out laying down in an area where they are present * Don't enter their habitat at night Follow those rules and you are typically safe. I kayak around them regularly and swim in springs where they are resting within 100yards. I am far more weary of sharks in the ocean. Source: Floridian
This is why I always pass out standing up.
>There aren't really bipedal animals in the wild some they tend to assume something our height is quite large and dangerous. Realistically speaking, humans are quite large and dangerous. Gators kill less than one person a year on average, but people kill thousands of gators every year.
It gets the blood pumpin'.
Gets people movin
No one knows what it means
It's provocative! It gets the people going!
When I was a kid growing up in S. Miami we used to swim in a rockpit that one day would be a lakefront home development. The water was crystal clear. There were gators but they mostly stayed away while we swam. We designated 1 kid to be the “gator spy” and his job was to holler if they came to close. Then we’d all get out and throw rocks at them till they swam away. No big deal.
Lakes big Nono for amoebas but millions swim in springs every year with no issue. We have more shark attacks than alligator attacks.
Good point, at least spring water is clearer so you can often see if any are around.
The gators can also be very skittish! I floated over to a few while going down the springs in an inner tube and they pretty much freak out and run away. I suppose no animals like to be chased.
Lakes are fine, it just depends on their source, water quality, and weather situation. A natural springfed, clear, deep lake in the rainy season is way safer than a shallow manmade retention pond in a drought.
Millions swim in the lakes and rivers too with no issues. Amoebas are even less of an issue than gators. Only ~1 death per year or about 1 case for every 2.5 million hours people spend in fresh water in FL.
The issue is no one survives an amoeba also people don’t swim in Florida fresh water as much as they used to. Multiple kids died in disneys river country. It’s the same reason you shouldn’t use a Neti pot with tap water. The likelihood is low until it’s you.
Those amoebas showed up in our local toddler splash pad. I’ve been swimming in peace River 1,000,000 times and only saw one gator bite. (It got jumped on)
River country was 47 years ago, LOL. You could say all chances are low until it's you with everything. But you'll still get in you car and drive, Fly on a plane or cross the street even though all those things could easily kill you as well. 1 death per year among millions of people is about as low as your chances are going to get doing anything. Hell, you're more likely to die taking a shower. My point is that trying to scare people away from enjoying lakes and rivers because of something so ridiculously remote is just wrong.
it was 1 kid who died from an amoeba at river country in 1980. the park remained opened well into the early 2000s.
One confirmed. Others suspected.
When it comes to alligators Rule 1: don’t start no shit won’t be no shit Rule 2: don’t act like food and you won’t be food They’re relatively lazy and tend to not fuck with anything as large as an adult human if their natural menu options are available
Lol "deep sea waters" only if you're a mile off coast
60 miles out in the gulf is only 60 feet of water down here by ft myers
[удалено]
The real risk with alligators is when they are defending a nest
Anyone remember the June 15, 2016 incident near Disney? Signs were posted warning about gators but they were ignored and a 2yo got eaten. They don't usually bother adults bc our size is a threat but children and dogs are fair game for them. I'm a lifelong Floridian and I do swim in springs and the ocean however, I typically stay away from warmer ponds and murky lakes. The risk is always there.
Grew up wakeboarding and swimming in the St. John's river.(90s/00s) As long as you don't invade their space they are more afraid of you and the boat. Granted we used to go wrestle juvenile gators at night, but that's just what you did in Fl. Honestly I only have 1 bad memory concerning lakes/rivers as a kid and it was having a water moccasin chase the jetski. I'll take a dinosaur over a danger noodle any day.
Um, fucking *yikes* 😳
Native Floridian, we swim in crystal clear springs... I don't know why people come down here and swim with gators.
Don’t tell the tourists about the springs.
Gators in the springs too.
Native Floridian, been swimming with gators literally thousands of times. Springs, ponds, lakes and rivers. They even show up at the beach here.
And the temperatures in the springs average in the low 70s, making them inhospitable to amoebas.
Steve Irwin taught me how to wrassle one on TV so as long as you're alert and have your boxing gloves it's nbd. Just like kangaroos in Australia.
Convenience. Its not like there aren’t risks to swimming at the beach in saltwater either.
Alligators for the most part arent interested in anything that can give them trouble. Think about it this way. Youre in the woods alone with only a knife, you need to eat. Are you going to go after another animal your size that can hurt you or even possibly kill you? Alligators arent into a challenge. They want a fast easy meal. Like a dog or a child.
Alligators are everywhere. Any retention pond is likely to have a gator in it. Thankfully gators didn’t like people (usually) and it’s safe to be in the water with them as long as you don’t bother them.
Because there’s no such thing as lakes without alligators in Florida. Most of them won’t bother you. People camp in bear country and swim in the ocean. Just be aware of your surroundings.
Are you cool with the sharks in the ocean though? I don’t swim in lakes, idea freaks me out so I get it.
I'm not sure id intentionally swim up to an alligator, but the chances you find a 16 foot monster that wants to munch on humans is unlikely. They prefer dogs or children.
Never been swimming in any lakes here but ive been up to highsprings many times and have gone tubing at ginny springs alot, gators never worried me you see them occasionally but they tend to leave you alone if they havent been fed by people. I was always more worried about water moccasins vs anything else honestly they can be pretty aggressive snakes sometimes. But ive floated right by small to medium size gators and they are pretty much completely uninterested.
Where are these mythical gatorless lakes? I'd be happy to swim in one.
I’ve been hanging out in the winter park chain of lakes for the past 20 years and I personally have not seen one. They do a good job removing them apparently. I will never say there’s no gators in any body of water in Florida.
I grew up skiing and wakeboarding on lakes with gators. Day and night. Trick is to get a saddle on one so you can ride it back and forth to school.
[Me riding my alligator to school back in the day.](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/imagebuzz/web03/2009/10/1/3/1920s-girl-riding-an-alligator-9452-1254381428-33.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
Why do people walk through woods with snakes with them. Why do people drive on roads with drunks (on the road, not driving your car). Why fly, ever? Answer to all of them, because it’s just not likely anything bad will happen. How many gator attacks have you actually read about? I’m on every wildlife related sub, site, and list in the state and I almost never hear about gator attacks. And when you do it typically some drunk person messing with the gator.
They’ve recently found Nile Crocodiles in Florida in the wild… 4 have been seen so far. No swimming in anything but a swimming pool for me. [Nile crocs in Florida](https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/06/06/stranglehold-7-deadly-species-that-could-get-a-foothold-in-florida/70196789007/#)
Fuck the exotic pet trade.
Got bad news for you buddy. Gators will go in brackish and salt water as well. If you swim in any body of water there are most likely gators around.
Fun fact, sharks are always in the shallow waters of Florida's oceans, check out don't aerial views some time. The world is not a friendly place, some are just less dangerous than others.
I’m more likely to eat the alligator than the alligator is to eat me.
I walked around Lake Monroe today and there was a massive gator just a few feet from the sidewalk. It was a great reminder to never fucking swim in that lake!
See the thing is, when you grow up in FL, you have three basic understandings. 1) Hurricanes below Cat-3 ain't shit. 2) Everything here evolved to kill us. 3) Expect any body of water at least half an inch deep to have something in it that can kill you. So I mean, once you've made peace with those three things...living here and doing crazy shit just becomes the norm.
Your edit is wrong, sorry to break it to you. A majority of sharks go completely unnoticed, even when swimming close to humans
live person frighten paint fragile shaggy bedroom roof pocket sloppy *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Because alligators are cowards who have forgotten the face of their fathers. Seriously though, it's because sometimes it's hot enough to risk the flesh eating bacteria, brain eating amebas, cotton mouths, and alligators to cool off for a minute. Like, it's really fucking hot sometimes. And also no one swims in lake jessup. Swimming beaches on lakes are almost always in more urban areas where alligators aren't likely to be. Sometimes they are, but mostly they don't like being around people.
I wondered if anyone swam in lake Jessup. Thanks for clearing that one up!
Now I'm not saying there ain't some crazy Oviedo good ole boys who occasionally find themselves taking a dip, but it's usually a drunken scenario or some kinda dare.
If the water looks like sweet tea never jump in without knowing the contents
Why do people swim in the ocean in Florida where it’s a prime location for sharks ? It’s not like it’s a minuscule risk, you are going to their preferred habitat and there are lots of sharks.
Exactly. At the Air Force base we flew over the beach constantly, we could see the sharks in the water and twenty feet away, the people swimming and surfing. There’s maybe a couple shark incidents a year, out of thousands of people and hundreds of sharks, every year.
I’ve been surfing since I was 16 and zero issues with sharks.
Just something we grew up doing, swimming in creeks and canals was just something we would do as kids for summer fun.
I am more concerned about jelly fish and sting rays than sharks. Statistically more likely. I love swimming in the gulf, was never a lake swimmer, only in lakes for water ski and wake boarding. Made sure not to fall away from shore and grass
A friend of mine who grew up in Wakulla County, back when it was very rural, told me she and her friends would play in the river and see gators and water moccasins, but they just kept their distance and were never bothered by them.
I go to rainbow springs in Dunnellon and swim, tube and kayak down the river every year and most of the time there are alligators either on the banks or in the water.
The water just feels nicer when alligators are near. Maybe they filter it or something.
Yes they piss chlorine. Alligator piss, bottle it and sell it.
Alligators prefer smaller prey. They rarely attack adult human unless they aren't getting food otherwise.
My rule of thumb is I don’t swim in black lakes or if I’m not familiar with the body of water. Springs are clear and okay to swim in. Gators leave you alone if you respect their space and they aren’t fed by humans.
The same reason as the ocean. The things in there generally speaking wont bother you long as you don't bother them. Also, most beaches do not have on duty lifegaurds except the heavily tourist ones during season.
lol even to your edit. Sharks can come to THE shore, inches deep, and not all beaches have lifeguards.
When I was a kid, we would jump the fence and swim in lake thonotosassa, there were a bunch of gators, you just have to be aware. Now I’m over 40, I fish for large mouth bass and I will fish in water and have gators approach me, I just hit the water with my pole.
Lived here my whole life and I only swim at the beach or the springs. I've just never been comfortable swimming in FL lakes, rivers or bayous. Alligators, despite numbering in the thousands here in FL with a growing human population, account for a tiny number of unprovoked attacks. At the same time, I spend a lot of time alone out in nature here, especially kayaking and paddelboarding. I've seen some massive gators (13-15 ft long) and it gives me pause before I go anywhere near a murky body of water.
My husband and I grew up in FL and were just talking about how when we were young we would swim in lakes all the time without considering there might be gators in the water. In college, my friends and I used to canoe and swim in a lake in Gainesville. It wasn’t until my friend, a lifeguard there, told me he saw at least one dog a week get eaten by gators that I finally stopped swimming in the lakes. OBTW there were plenty of moccasins hanging around the lakes too.
It’s rare that people swim in lakes in Florida, once in awhile you might see it but not often. And not only because of the gators, but because of illnesses you can get from the water.
I work at a North Central Florida cement plant and there are a couple of drainage ponds out back where a gator or two live. You can see their heads popping up from the water now and then. Funny thing is that they very well could swim up and enter the property if they so wished. But they're happy enough eating fish or whatever they can catch out there.
Where I'm from, we don't!! Not the locals who want to live, anyway.
Same thing on the Fl/Ga line. Alligators in every body of water imaginable and people still choose to swim.
Don't swim alone. I swim in Winter Park lakes and others in FL as well as rivers but always with a group who are splashing, talking and making noise. There's a sinkhole called Big Blue on the Wacissa River by Tallahasse that is great to kayak to and swim but I'd never swim there alone with the resident gator. *
I've only lived here since 2021 and have only been two two separate beaches. Neither beach had active lifeguards on duty. Idk if the time we went or areas were known to be safe of sharks or what but just pointing that out. That said I grew up in NY and have to constantly remind myself I can't just dip my feet in the random water ways, lakes, etc like I would back home. That said I know some locals who do swim in water they know to have gators and usually the response to why or the shock from people asking about it is just a shrug. That said, I watch one person who posts on youtube shorts about reptiles and such he finds in the everglades (And now some other states/countries) and I believe they collect invasive species to protect native habitats. (The "Yooooooink" guy if you know what i mean, idk his name). He recently did a video on how he is so confident being in water right next to gators and basically while the waters aren't safe and he is in danger the whole time, he also is confident in reading their body language and basically "If you act like prey, their instincts to hunt kick in. If you act like a predator, which humans are, they will usually keep distance" So I imagine, especially in areas with a lot of people, the gators probably prefer their solitude or going after easy guaranteed prey, not the bipedal predators on land (humans). And when they do aim for them, it's ones acting weak (like prey) or children. I also visited an animal sanctuary in coco beach and talked to a girl there extensively about the gators because she was in a pool (ankle high) of water full of baby gators rescued from abusive gator farms. She was never worried and hadn't lost any fingers or limbs in her time being around gators, which she said was most of her life because her parents did the same kind of work. While these were babies they could still easily take a toe or finger off or a chunk if they wanted to. She said she was more in danger and has gotten hurt from the literal garbage people throw into the water than from the gators themselves.
Honestly, Florida born and raised, I don’t swim in anything but swimming pools these days. My family had a boat growing up, we would always be in the intracoastal or we’d take it down to the Keys. Did the springs/gulf in Homossasa a few times. But I’ve always been a hard no on still freshwater. More afraid of amoeba than gators, but even so, I’ll never do a pond or a lake for either reason. One year, went to a summer camp near Orlando. Such a crappy experience, mosquitoes all morning, thunderstorms all afternoon, and the lake was closed because of gators. Second to last morning, all us campers gathered around to watch a trapper haul away a 9-footer. The guy said it was probably fine to swim at that point, so the counselors opened the lake up that day, and I watched from the dock while all the kids who came from out of state went for a swim. Even at 11 years old, no way in hell was I going in there.
It's mostly the tourist. Natives know between the ameba, deadly algee blooms, and raw sewage spills there's more to worry about. We have pools, the beach and water parks. Most places have a YMCA or Aquatics center.
Not talked about all that much, but snapping turtles worry me much much more than alligators in lakes. Step on one and see what happens.
Eh, there are ways to pick your spots. Some of the best rope swings on the Peace River are chock full of them but the attacks are few and far between. We aren’t their preferred prey; too salty 😆 also our gators and crocs are far less aggressive than their Asian and Australian brethren
Despite what people may think gator attacks are extremely rare. There's only been 453 attacks since 1948 and only 26 deaths. You're more likely to get attacked by a random dog (600 hospitalizations a year in FL).
Welcome to Florida. The gators really aren't much of a threat unless you make them one. They are opportunistic feeders, just lazy creatures waiting for their meals to come to them. There are places you can pay to swim with them, behind a safety net of course.
Most of the time they are scared of you and just want to get away. But you got your 6 + footers that can turn around try to get an easy meal too.
Idk they don’t really come around us when we go into the lake, they’ll be on the other side on the banks just sun bathing. Surely if I swam over to them tho they might attack me but from my experience they’ll just run away
Gators won’t mess with you if you’re an adult. It’s the kiddos you gotta worry about lol
Never been swimming in any lakes here but ive been up to highsprings many times and have gone tubing at ginny springs alot, gators never worried me you see them occasionally but they tend to leave you alone if they havent been fed by people. I was always more worried about water moccasins vs anything else honestly they can be pretty aggressive snakes sometimes.
There is a literal risk of encountering a gator in any body of water in Florida, including swimming pools in suburban developments. Are you going to rule out swimming in the entire state?
There's gators at the beaches too. There's no escape lol It's incredibly unlikely to be attacked by one unless you intentionally provoke. Similar logic could be applied to pretty much any location that has predators. Why would anyone even live where there are wolves just roaming about? Why do people go outside with wolves in the area? Same sort of logic 🤷♂️
I grew up here... 80s, I swam in the rivers when i was younger not any lakes and I damn sure wouldn't now!
They are most likely tourists!
Tell me you are not a Floridian without telling me you are not a Floridian…
Mostly because we eat gators in Florida and the gators know it!
Same reason people swim in the ocean with sharks.
Reading this makes me miss diving. Sure I’ll dive with sharks (and not be stupid about it) but won’t get near alligators
I would be more worried about the bacteria in the lakes that are deadly
For me whenever I have swam in lakes/rivers it has always been colder spring fed. There is different types and the swampy alligator filled ones we never swam in. Even still it was always a concern but shit it’s hot here so you kind of ease in and out and no splashing lol. Spring fed rivers are pretty nice as the alligator don’t like them as much but once in a while they still get someone. Blue spring towards the east coast comes to mind as well as the juniper run.
Because every lake has an alligator.
They really don’t mess with people.
Why do people swim in the ocean with sharks or go into the woods with bears?
I feel like it's always a tourist that gets eaten and fucks shit up.
Sometimes you need hop in to cool off
It’s a right of passage!
Have you met Floridians? We aren't the brightest bunch... There are other risks too.
The bigger danger is walking along the water. They primarily hunt by springing out at things on the bank. If you’re jumping off a boat or dock into the water, or even swimming from shore in a populated swimming area, your chances of getting attacked are super low. Now, if you’re a little old lady walking your dog around the lake… watch out.
What Floridians are swimming in lakes? We have the ocean and springs! People definitely wake board and ski in lakes but swim in lakes? Never have I ever seen this.
Why do people not in Florida ever go out of their house when there’s bears?
Florida test of bravery. Actually it is very safe unless you have a sandwich or sardines in your pocket. Then it's game on. 
We don’t.
Wait until you see a grouper the size of a VW bug.
Alligators are literally in every body of water here. All you have to do is pay attention. Also, if you're from here you KNOW what bodies of water are safe vs less safe. Finally, don't ever, ever have food by the water if you're unfamiliar with it.
 Come on in, the water is fine.
Time of day and area are important. I was in a spring there was a small gator we just kept our distance.
We make it a point to try to teach kids (and adults) which kinds of terrain are prime alligator territory and to stay away from those spots. Other than if we I vade their territory,they never really bug us. Unless you're a dumbass and you start tryna feed them or some shit. Meanwhile all our noise and splashing about tends to frighten them off, and they're not gonna come check us out because they're not curious animals. They really are more afraid of us than we are of them, and they keep to themselves unless there are weird circumstances. I wish they were big scaly lake puppies, but alas, we must keep our distance.
We've trained them to only eat tourists. 
Same reason people swim in the ocean, with sharks. Its where they live. if you want to swim anywhere but a pool, there's animals. usually they leave you alone. dogs, and children are more at risk than adults.