Wild Animals on the ICW

[Reluctantsailor]

That's because everyone knows Bigfoot lives in the forest not in the water so I guess she figured as long as We stick to the shoreline and avoid any deep forest we would be relatively safe...

[captainKJ]

In louisiana there is rumored to be big foots cousin

The Honey Island Swamp Monster

Be careful,,,,, he is very tricky,,,

[gonesail]

.. never seen a snake or an alligator in the florida intracoastal waters. plenty of porpoise and manatee though. have seen a few snakes on the shore but they were rat and black snakes not poisonous.

[RiverRat]

Originally Posted by Reluctantsailor

So just when I am slowly coming to terms with the snakes I had a lady from North Carolina tell me that whatever I do don't let my dogs in the water on the ICW because Alligators love to eat dogs..they have been known to grab them right off the transom and beaches. I have two big dogs but she said didn't matter the size they eat them all...

There'll always be those freak incidents. I'd think it's more important to keep an eye out at the time and talk to other boaters in the area to see what they've seen. Don't let it ruin your trip worrying about it in advance. The woman below was at home...


--An '06 news article---
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) -- So now the alligators are going door to door. When Lori Pachelli heard someone knocking at the door of her home in a gated community in this southwest Florida community earlier this week, she looked out to see an unwelcome visitor on her front stoop: an 8-foot alligator.

The bull gator, which had wandered up from the pond behind the house, had a bloody lip from banging its head against the door.

"He was pretty big, pretty aggressive," Pachelli said, adding that the gator may have followed her home from walking her cocker spaniel, Trooper.

Pachelli's husband, Mike, said he sped home after his wife called him in hysterics. The animal remained at the Pachellis' door for about an hour before going back into the lake, where trapper John French captured it later.

French said it's not unusual to find male alligators in some pretty interesting places this time of year.

"You're starting into what's called the crawl season, the breeding season," he said. "We get them out of front porches, out of garages, out of swimming pools."

The Pachellis said they never dreamed an alligator would venture that close to the house.

"I've never seen them walking around (the neighborhood), let alone banging on my front door," Lori Pachelli said.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by stevensc

You will probably be more likely to win the lottery, or be hit by lightning, than to be bitten by a snake poisonous or otherwise.
Wasps are a different story watch out for them.
Just be carefull where you stick your hands and feet. you'll be fine
Steve

I've done the lightning bit. When am I going to win the lottery?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by captainKJ

In louisiana there is rumored to be big foots cousin

The Honey Island Swamp Monster

Be careful,,,,, he is very tricky,,,

Swamp Monster
Main article: Honey Island Swamp monster
The swamp is famous for being the home of the Honey Island Swamp monster. The creature is described as bipedal, seven feet (2.2 metres) tall, with gray hair and yellow eyes. It is accompanied by a disgusting smell.

I think he posts here. Regularly.

[flysci]

I think you should add fishermen to the list of scary things in Fla. waterways. Did anyone else look at the photos of the barracuda attack? I was shocked to see the father posing with the fish and a big smile with his daughter was posed next to them with a horrified, pained look on her face, holding back the bleeding with her hand. Chilling! Seems there's always time to document the catch before taking your daughter in to get the required 50 stiches!

Margo

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I think he posts here. Regularly.

Is his name Mark by any chance??????

[RiverRat]

Originally Posted by flysci

I think you should add fishermen to the list of scary things in Fla. waterways. Did anyone else look at the photos of the barracuda attack? I was shocked to see the father posing with the fish and a big smile with his daughter was posed next to them with a horrified, pained look on her face, holding back the bleeding with her hand. Chilling! Seems there's always time to document the catch before taking your daughter in to get the required 50 stiches!

Margo

I just went to look. OMG! That poor girl! Dad ought to be ashamed of himself.

[jdill2d]

If you go as far as the Everglades, you might encounter the Florida Skunk Ape (Skunk ape - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).