Life Near Death: Beware of the Crocodilians

We had made it clear to ourselves and our readers that we were searching for adventure and uncertainty but, we had no idea where our trip to the Florida Keys would first lead us and how close we could come to an old foe.

As a child I had the joy of connecting with nature on a fantastic outing to Okefenokee Swamp, one of North America’s most unspoiled, fascinating, and precious natural areas. The website touts it as the largest, intact, un-fragmented, freshwater and black water wilderness swamp in North America.  What a beautiful wildlife encounter…  that has haunted my nightmares ever since, perpetrating my nights every few months.   Who takes a small child who is susceptible to known alligator infested waters?  My sadistic family!  During that fantastic journey we took a voyage on a tour boat in which we saw gators on either side – eyes sticking out of the water peering at us with devious intentions, on land slithering back into the water retiring to a discrete observation point, and of course taunting on a shore near the visitors center but a small island away.  In defense, my mother was petrified adding to my angst but I do believe that my Aunt thought it was immense family fun.  Truly a momentous trip not to be forgotten, literally.  Please keep in mind that normally these reptiles retreat from adults as they feel threatened but, have been known to attack small children and small dogs.  I was 4.

Empathetic to Captain Hook from Peter Pan, looking for his adversary and being haunted by the ever present tick- tock of the Crocodile biding it’s time awaiting another opportunity for an encounter.  None the less, together Rick and I have seen and swam near Cayman in jungles of Peru and Mexico and while on a solo jungle adventure in the rainy season of Costa Rica 5 years ago heard a large splash into the river that could have only been a substantial Crocodile sliding into the banks.  After spending many adult years putting the trauma of my childhood behind me and convincing myself that my terrors were unrealistic due to the reality that I am a full-grown adult capable of fending off the beast, my adversary has once again made it known to us and our wee one, perfect size for bait.

We decided to stay overnight in Key Largo, meandering our way down the Florida Keys to Key West. The night before the events described below was ominous.  As we turned to walk from our hotel beach area at dusk, I snatched our daughter mid-step from trampling on a brightly colored snake making its way through the path.  Devout on remaining unruffled and not inflicting emotional scars by our over reaction at a possibly poisonous snake, we casually headed inside reminding her how all animals are our friends and part of nature and the earth. We all live together, we live in right relationship with them and all is well.  That is of course as long as you stay out of their path and habitat.

The next morning I mentioned to Rick the only thing I really wanted to do is Canoe at the John Pennekamp State Park, famed for its coral reefs, but also know for its mangroves. Something interesting for all of us to experience, as well as enjoying the outdoors.  Touristy trap excursions that are commercial and fixed are not really our thing.  We could create our own adventure and that we did. At the registration stand they mentioned that canoes were unavailable because of winds so we would have to take a tandem kayak and the child could sit on a make shift seat in between.  Given that we made the mistake of telling a 3-year-old of our intentions in advance we were committed, kayak it was to be.  Have you been on a kayak before?  Yes, lots of fun for the maneuverability and very close to the water.  Have you been on a tandem kayak with a third AKA a squirmy child?   Not quite the same throw caution to the wind, freedom.  I chose to be the rear seat wanting the extra work out and Rick took the makeshift map and set himself in front.  All I remember was the man getting us together and tracing the route with his finger and “there are places where it is a tight squeeze, you’ll need to move branches”.

From the moment we got into the kayak our unity was mislaid, our synchronism was not there. We got moving through the main thoroughfare into the mangroves.  An insistent little voice, “mommy I want to paddle”.  What harm could that be?  I attempted to lift my paddle over her head for fun and the kayak violently shift almost launching us all overboard.  An awkward movement, a laugh, and ha-ha we could have all gotten wet.  We now have a good little swimmer and all have life vests, no biggie.  A few more feet away there was a wooden pier into the mangroves for pedestrians to view into untainted Mother Nature.  All occurring in a matter of seconds I said to Rick, “I can see the shore and it is getting too narrow, turn around.”  As these words slipped from my lips, I notice a  few feet away a hand full of people gathered on the boards staring in the water, and only one woman mentions, barely over a whisper, I am assuming not to frighten the animal, “Oh, you might not want to go near that large crocodile we are looking at.”  Might?  Might?

I, concerned for the safety of my bait-sized, bite-sized child, centered myself like never before, calling on every power of courage as only a true warrior can.  A great Tibetan teacher once said that being fearless is not about the absence of fear but moving beyond it.  Rick, to assess the situation or as a natural reaction from the woman’s comments, turns to look at our scaled friend and then so does my daughter.  In an effort not to cause the boat to rock, single point of focus and strategically,  I calmly tell Rick not to look forward and to plow ahead.  Keep in mind that throughout this whole process a plastic kayak, which we are much less familiar with, is not like or by any means as sturdy as a metal canoe.  I start to power through the strokes and the kayak rocks from the sudden shift of energy.  Deep breath, steady, calm and we glide through the water in unison this time, lockstep – every stride glancing questionably at branches and coral sticking out of the water as we head back to the launch point.

My daughter will not be tortured from the occurrence as I was as a child and now calmly as an adult.  Her parents remained centered and cool the entire time just like the Crocodilian.  Some might ask, “What did you expect in the Everglades?” Yes, we were in their habitat but, really in this time of litigation, there were no mentions on the state park’s websites about crocs, which used to be an endangered species.  Nothing in the paperwork at the registration and hey, no one coached us prior to launch “oh just in case you get in a pickle that flimsy kayak paddle which is not high quality (thank you national parks) will not be of any use because it feels as if it might break from a hard push in the water let alone a jaw clamping it or shoeing away a large reptile”. Yes, the woman who warned us said large.  I can still hear her words ringing in my ears along with a faint tick-tock.