Years ago we rented a house in the St. Pete area that had a canal running along the back of the property. Made sure everyone stayed away from the edge in daylight and out of the backyard at night. I can live with deer, coyotes, bobcats, and even wolves or black bears. But big submerged reptiles coasting past the back yard made me nervous.
A distant relative was visiting his mother in Florida many years ago. He decided to go fishing, as he’d seen a dock nearby. As he walked up to it he saw an alligator laying on it sunning itself. He was about to turn around when a middle-aged lady came walking by. “You aren’t going to let that gator stop you from fishing, are you?” With that she walked up & kicked the alligator in the tail. (I think it was at least a 6 footer.) It dropped off into the water & the lady proceeded on her walk. The relative turned around & went home. No more enthusiasm for fishing there.