I dive in the Cooper River in South Carolina, so seeing alligators while preparing to dive is a very common thing. While we aren't really seeing more gators than usual, we are definately seeing more of them sub-surface. I am also the a divemaster for a local certification agency, and while on an advanced ow night dive we had alot of interaction with three alligators. None were visible at the onset of the dive (and we were looking), but upon sufacing, the three were close. While I and one instructor had the students, another instructor and a friend were shark tooth hunting about 75 yards down the canal from us. One of the alligators actually droped to the bottom less than three feet from the instructors friend. He jabbed it with his screwdriver, and qucikly departed company. When I surfaced with my students I had one very large gator closing fast on the surface, and two more about 50 yards away. The one approaching waved off at about 10 yards, I guess not liking the 50 watt halogen dive light. After we got out of the water the other instructor and his friend explained what happened to them.
I had the misfortune up creeping up on a 10+ footer in the same area earlier this year in about fourteen foot of water. Normally we don't see the alligators sub-suface at all. We did have a confirmed attack this past year out at short stay recreational facility when a man had his arm removed by a big gator. The pictures I've posted don't really do the gator justice. I am the dive team leader for the local rescue squad, and helped remove the mans arm from the gators belly on that day. He was huge!
So are there more divers having close calls/ interactions with alligators, or am I just that lucky?
