Complete Video - Diving Blue Springs, Manatee & Cave

[ricki]

I was shocked to learn that there was an experienced snorkeler fatality involving a 12 ft. long alligator at Blue Spring on October 21, 2015.

"Florida wildlife officials have confirmed that a 62-year-old man who disappeared on Monday morning while snorkeling with friends in a state park was killed by an alligator. James Okkerse went missing in Blue Spring State Park just before 9 a.m. Monday and his body was found that afternoon.

The Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled his death as being consistent with an alligator attack, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told NBC News Wednesday. The 12-and-a-half-foot alligator had previously been spotted and caused a swimming area at the park to close twice on Sunday. Officials felt it had to be killed because of the threat it posed to park guests."

"Anen and her husband had been meeting up with Okkerse to swim on a weekly basis and she called him a 'very strong swimmer' and a 'healthy' man, WFTV reported. Okkerse was wearing a mask and a snorkel when he vanished. Anen said: 'I went up to the hole to see where he was and I saw him floating along, I thought he was diving. 'When I got there, he totally disappeared.' "
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz3pvW7iQni




Two people shot a videos underwater of the alligator the day before the attack:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp8uoAwB0a4



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peILeNmVsJQ[/youtube]


There is a sign on the boardwalk, which I have to confess I don't recall seeing which says: "large alligators ... occasionally attack larger animals such as deer, and may even attack humans." Well, they were right about that sad to say. The victim lived a few miles from the spring and swam there for the last 20 years. He was last seen near the boil or vertical cave at the popular headspring. A medical examiner subsequently concluded James Okkerse was killed by an alligator. http://www.news-journalonline.com/ar...51029901?tc=ar


Some precautions to observe around alligators: http://srelherp.uga.edu/alligators/alligator-safety.htm


We may be more interested in closely looking at the alligator than might be safe. They are often quite motionless but also very fast. The above article suggests staying at least 60 ft. away from a large alligator on land. If it is hissing or lunging at you, you are too close. They say not to swim in fresh water in Florida except in designated areas. I recently heard this before a SUP paddle in spring country. Of course in this instance Mr. Okkerse was well within such a designated swim area.

One thing that may not be common knowledge. We went biking in Canaveral National Seashore, there were a lot of alligators in the perimeter canal. My then infant son started crying in his bike seat. This sent a large alligator on the opposite bank into the water and swimming towards our side of the bank at speed. We left a little wiser about what can motivate gator interest. Barking dogs can attack as apparently can crying babies.

A listing of fatal alligator attacks in USA and some of the circumstances worth looking over at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ates_by_decade

.