Gators, Otters and Blue Crabs

   About midafternoon, my brother yelled across the yard "The gator is at your pier.  You were just asking about it and now it has come to see you."  That was my cue to head to the pier!  For some odd reason, the alligators still thrill me just as they did when I was a kid.  The photo ops with the alligator did not go as expected as the critter stayed just far enough away from me to make clear shots a no-go.  After a few weeks, it will, once again, become accustomed to my presence and will not be quite so wary.  Plus, a neighbor decided that it was an opportune time to run his big boat around the Bay which left the gator even more uneasy.

  The odd thing about the pier visit was that, along with the gator, there were two otters nearby.  Either the otters were unaware of the nine foot long  alligator's presence or they just did not care.  The pair were busy raiding my brother's crab traps!  Once they each had their meal, the duo swam toward the pier.  They did not even notice me until they were within ten feet.  Then, one looked straight at me with crab in mouth!  Crazy otters!  After checking me, they both opted to hide in the marsh to crunch their prizes.

  All in all, the time was enjoyable even if the pictures taken were not the best.  It is nice to see old friends after the winter has passed.