Gator Growl

Few things in is world are more terrifying than a giant animals that could eat you. For me (Em), this nightmare of encountering one these creatures became a reality for us. We were leaving the state of Georgia, headed to South Carolina. On our way we stopped at the Savannah Nature Refuge. As one drove around the four mile loop, it was exciting to think that in the lush trees or tall grasses you may see a bird, or in the marshland an alligator may be swimming slowly by.

Along the driving trail were designated places one could get out and walk on a trail. We started the loop, and already counted four gators in the swamps and a handful of birds. C pulled the car over and suggested we take a short walk on a path to a photo blind (a small wood cabin with shutters for folks to snap some shots).

Knowing how close we still were to wild gators, I hesitated. Dismissing this as unnecessary worry, I followed C into the trees. The was lined with tall tres on either side; the path was just wide enough for two people side-by-side. The path curved to the left and ten yards away we saw the cabin on the right hand side.

We were chatting to each other when we heard near us, low and to the right, in he brush a deep and throaty growl. My heart froze. I looked at C with question in my eyes, when to my horror, the sound came again. We both knew the gator was there and we ran for the photo blind. I slammed the squeaky wooden door closed behind me, holding it fast to the jam, thinking any moment a gator would be pummeling his snout into haven. Click here to hear the sound of doom we experienced. If you want, close your eyes and imagine yourself of the wooded, isolated path..

C managed to get a lingering wasp out, slid the wooden shutters closed, and we waited. Breathing quietly, I read the notice on the back of the door. The instructions were to stay quiet and not attract wildlife to the blind. But what if wildlife was already there? There was an emergency contact at the bottom.

While I frantically Googled how to escape an alligator confrontation, I learned that in May and June gators are mating and more territorial. C slid a blind open.. There came another deep growl. Gah! Too much. We said a prayer, and I called the emergency line. If we were going to get gobbled by a gator I wanted someone to know where to look.

“Savannah refuge, how can I help you?”

Me, whispering, “Hi. My name is Em. A friend and I are at the photo blind.. Yes. And there seems to be a gator just outside. He’s growled three times. How do we get back to our car.”

Basically, the advice was not to provoke him. Sheesh. Summoning my courage, I followed a confident out the door and down the path. No sight nor sound of the beast, but I was done gator watching the rest of the day.