by Peter Twitchell
When I first went to Disney World in Florida, I decided to rent a canoe to go down a narrow creek through Dade County.
I was informed by the canoe rental owner that I was going to see alligators along the way and to never panic or take a dog with me. He said that alligators like to eat dogs.
That was good to know!
Halfway on my canoe trip I began to wonder why I’d want to do what I did! I’d seen 6 alligators as long as the canoe I was in! Big eyes the size of billiard balls about 20 feet away, no other human being in sight.
I watched as alligators sunk right where they were, and none of them even came close to me. I did say a prayer to the good Lord for protection.
About an hour later, what seemed like forever to me, I came out of the slough in to open water and saw the landing dock where I was to leave the canoe. Whew! Sigh of relief! I never did that again.
The owner of the canoe rental did tell me they did their best to weed out the aggressive alligators! Oh happy days!
This was an experience of a lifetime for me and I loved canoe rides as I had done it every chance I got in Dad’s elrun – canoe, made with strips of wood and covered with white canvas and painted to make it waterproof, and indeed it was!
My sister Juanita Treat and I often got into that canoe and paddled down a mile stretch of rain water slough about 75 feet wide. I was 8 years old and already a crack shot with a .22 single rifle and got a few ducks to bring home to Mom.
