A man who was enjoying a peaceful kayaking and fishing experience in Florida's Everglades was taken aback when he noticed something lurking in the murky water.
Instagram user Ethan Sommer, who goes by the username @sommertime_outdoors, shared a clip on the social media site that has gone viral, with 4 million views, since it was posted on December 9.
The short clip starts with the man saying, "What the hell was that?" as he films the murky water and shrubbery surrounding his kayak. Later in the video, as he stops moving the kayak, we see an alligator-shaped creature moving right under the boat.
A crocodile is seen in the water near a fisherman's kayak in Florida's Everglades. Approximately 3,000 crocodiles live in the swamps of South Florida.A crocodile is seen in the water near a fisherman's kayak in Florida's Everglades. Approximately 3,000 crocodiles live in the swamps of South Florida.@sommertime_outdoors/Instagram"What y'all doing?" he wrote in the video's caption. "Keep fishing or headed back to the ramp?"
There is rapid, brief movement in the bushes before a saltwater crocodile swims under his boat, leaving him amazed.
"Look at that thing," he says in the clip. "We just went over a crocodile. Where's he going? That thing was huge."
Sommer says in the post's comments section that the video was recorded in the Everglades.
Approximately 3,000 crocodiles live in the swamps of South Florida, according to an article on the NCESC Geographic FAQ website. Visitors should stay on designated paths in the Everglades, a popular tourist attraction in Florida, and swimming in the area is generally not recommended, the article says.
Since 1948, there have been 413 unprovoked bite incidents in Florida involving crocodiles and alligators, with 25 of the incidents resulting in fatalities, according to the article.
The American crocodile was listed as an endangered species in 1975, but the population in Florida has been growing and sightings aren't rare, the University of Florida says.
Sommer's video received hundreds of comments from fascinated viewers, as well as nearly 100,000 likes.
"That's why I never kayak fished in fresh water," wrote @2thumbsupfishing.
User @erniecavitt85 said: "You have got to pay attention in the roots nowadays. They [crocodiles] lay across them and will shoot across your bow when you get too close."
"[I] thought it was a huge fish till I seen the other side and it was just the tail... that was a biggin [big one]," said @jjackman2._.
User @alexgan88 wrote: "Rethinking my comfort level swimming into the mangroves. I'm always nervous this will happen, Ain't like sharks, they are aggressive."
"Would have to go change underwear. May as well stay on dry land at that point," @spinfishing joked.
And user @robbie_maxx quipped: "I'm going to need new [pedals] on the yak by the time I get back to the dock."
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