I used to camp a lot at Lake Blackshear down in Cordele. It's a nice typical campground with public restrooms, showers, faucet and electricity at each little camp spot. AND as a bonus, the lake is full of large gators. Swimming isn't an issue in the daytime. I wouldn't do it at night though. We just sit in folding chairs with our toes in the water, drink beer and watch them swim by with 4 D cell mag lights.
I was snapped out of a really deep sleep right when the sun was coming up one morning by a very shrill scream. I stepped out of my tent and saw about a 5 foot gator laying against the tent fly of the tent next to me. Never skimping on a chance to rescue a damsel in distress, I kicked the little guy in the tail. It made a half ass little attempt at standing its ground by whipping around towards me into a toothy showing semi-circle and hissed a bit. So I picked up a small stick and gestured a few pokes without actually poking. He knew I could take him, so he retreated to the water. I then said with great heroic pride, "Come on out ma'am. He's gone" The tent slowly unzipped and out stepped this big ass hairy dude that kinda looked like Brutus from Popeye. He was ALONE in there. I swear I have never heard a grown man screaming like a little girl like that. Man card revoked!
Here's a pic I took while "babysitting" some friend's kids while they were at the other side of the park grilling steaks for us all. (You can't eat or cook next to the lake because of the gators). What? I made the little one wear a life vest! Don't ever ask me to watch kids. Note the wording on the sign. You can swim there. It's just "unauthorized" ...The park's CYA.
I was snapped out of a really deep sleep right when the sun was coming up one morning by a very shrill scream. I stepped out of my tent and saw about a 5 foot gator laying against the tent fly of the tent next to me. Never skimping on a chance to rescue a damsel in distress, I kicked the little guy in the tail. It made a half ass little attempt at standing its ground by whipping around towards me into a toothy showing semi-circle and hissed a bit. So I picked up a small stick and gestured a few pokes without actually poking. He knew I could take him, so he retreated to the water. I then said with great heroic pride, "Come on out ma'am. He's gone" The tent slowly unzipped and out stepped this big ass hairy dude that kinda looked like Brutus from Popeye. He was ALONE in there. I swear I have never heard a grown man screaming like a little girl like that. Man card revoked!
Here's a pic I took while "babysitting" some friend's kids while they were at the other side of the park grilling steaks for us all. (You can't eat or cook next to the lake because of the gators). What? I made the little one wear a life vest! Don't ever ask me to watch kids. Note the wording on the sign. You can swim there. It's just "unauthorized" ...The park's CYA.