Rest Day - Wakulla Springs

We got to sleep in today, which means I was awake by 4:00am. The lightning and thunder had started in full force. I went downstairs where I could see it better. It was great. I love a good storm. Some of the women were going to go kayaking today and were a little disappointed with the weather. I had taken the boat tour yesterday and seen the alligators in the water. No way would I even consider getting in a kayak. The rain finally stopped around 2:00pm. There was a high dive platform on the water that some of the girls had jumped off of yesterday. It was in the swimming area that was roped off. I thought that they must have a net or something in the water to keep the alligators out of the swimming area. They told me I had to do the jump and I agreed. After the rain stopped, I thought I would go down and get some pictures of the place. I walked down by the boat house and took a few pictures of the platform and water area. I walked toward it and passed a couple that had been out there. I let them pass and saw the beware of alligator sign and had to get a picture. There was a lot of trees and bushes on my left and I could hear things moving around in there so I was looking to my left as I walked up the ramp onto the platform. I took some pictures and turned to walk back down the ramp when I saw the alligator ON THE BEACH! I had walked right passed it. It was about 15 feet away from me and I didn't see it. If it had been hungery, I would have been lunch. There was no way for me to get back to the lodge without walking passed it again. NO WAY! I had seen Sue on a bench on her phone on my way down and I called to her. She didn't hear me. Just about that time, I see the couple coming back with a park ranger. They had seen the alligator and were on their way to let someone know about it when I passed them earlier. The park ranger shooed the alligator back into the water and I made a beline for the lodge. I refused to go back outside until we left the next morning. I gave Sue my camera and she went out and got a video of it. Everybody has heard the story, and they now call it Pam's alligator. I told the couple that I would have never gone down there if I had seen it. They said they thought I saw it and were amazed at how brave I was. I'm never coming back to Florida.

45 days down and 5 days to go.