This past weekend, I was fishing at Eddie Creek in the Playalinda Beach area 100 yards down the shore on the left side by the boat ramp when I spotted an 8-foot crocodile. There were about 15 manatees in the area, spread out in an area of 50 yards, and at one point, they lifted the croc out of the water, alerting us to its presence. This was a behavior I had never seen from manatees before, and my kids were swimming in the vicinity of them all morning.
The crocodile then came alarmingly close to me and my kids near the shore, setting up an ambush. It got within 10-12 feet of us, waiting for an opportunity to strike. I had to call the Kennedy Space Center dispatch for an escort. I've been fishing here for about 12 years in various areas, including offshore, boating, and kayaking, and I've never encountered a crocodile until now. I won't be wading in these waters to fish anymore, nor will I let my kids, aged 5 and 9, swim here again. I've crossed paths with many alligators before, but they've always just gone about their business and left me alone. This was my first encounter with a Croc and hope it's my last!! Be careful out there!
