| Alligators were the furthest thing from our minds | | | | We continued trading stories around the fire each |
| as my wife Ana and I traveled along the coast of | | | | night, but now we saw all kinds of wildlife. |
| northern Florida. We had paid $23 to camp in our | | | | Armadillos walked through camp, giant grey |
| conversion van at a beautiful state park on the | | | | herons fished just offshore from the van, and |
| beach the night before. In the morning we saw a | | | | there were racoons, owls, squirrels, ducks, and |
| dolphin swimming near shore. | | | | turtles. Then was also the "monster." |
| Then we heard we could camp for free at the | | | | March is a great time to get out in the woods in |
| isolated campgrounds which dotted the | | | | Florida, so I was poking around near a corner of |
| Apalachicola National Forest. Our frugality sent us | | | | the lake, when I heard the splash. There were no |
| into alligator country. | | | | fish that big, I knew, and we had already seen |
| We spent two nights in the dark woods next to | | | | two small alligators sunning themselves the day |
| the dark waters of a slow river. Our only | | | | before. This one had to be a giant. Ana and I |
| company was an old guy who seemed to be living | | | | returned the next morning, and again heard the |
| there, and a nice couple with their two-year-old | | | | splash. It was under the water before we could |
| daughter. Lester was from England, Kari from | | | | see it. |
| Texas, and Indya was born in Guatamala. They | | | | In the coming days, we visited the monster each |
| met in India, of course. | | | | morning once the sun was high enough for him to |
| Our little group circled the fire at night, trading | | | | come out and soak up the heat. We caught |
| stories, and occasionally sneaking down to the | | | | enough glimpses to know he was at least ten |
| water with flashlights to look for the eyes of | | | | feet long. Kari and Lester made a "Crocodile |
| alligators. We heard splashes in the night, but saw | | | | Hunter" movie of us stalking it. |
| nothing. | | | | In time, it no longer panicked, but just slowly |
| The Lake Talquin Monster | | | | lowered itself into the water, as if getting ready |
| When the old guy told us camping was free at | | | | to hunt us properly. We stopped trying to get so |
| Wiliams Landing, on Lake Talquin, we all moved up | | | | close to it. Our gang went to view alligators safely |
| there for a week. The hot showers convinced us. | | | | after that, from the tour boat at Wakulla Springs. |