There was tall grass besides the trail and marsh. Maybe 5 feet in width and 2 feet tall. Perfectly tranquil to stroll along. And then…

I’m not sure which of the 3 of us jumped higher. The Alligator made the biggest noise though.

A gigantic diving belly flop from the grass to the water.

The only shot was this when he looked at us. Quickly he bobbed under and was gone.

This is not uncommon, but it makes a great story.