Gator Wildlife In Florida With Bob Luce
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Bob Luce crossed the Maui Channel in May 1977 together with Bob Justman and Judy Collins in 6 hours 30 minutes. “I will say that the Maui Channel swim cured me of long distance swimming. I do swim 45 minutes ever day now though, but in a pool.
The only two days I don’t swim, I am kayaking on the Hillsborough River [in western Florida], removing trash and taking wildlife photos.”
His close-up photos of the wildlife on the Hillsborough River are wonderful.
“What really draws me to the river is the wildlife. I am shadowed by large alligators in the river sometimes because people have been feeding them. A slap of my paddle sends them away though. I have never had an incident with a gator.”
The photo above shows Big Daddy.
“I snuck up on him basking on an islet in the middle of the river. Nearby residents at an apartment complex frequently fed him until someone actually dropped a rope around his neck, trapping him. The Florida Wildlife Commission was called and had him killed last October. Sadly I was on a different part of the river that week. I paddled side-by-side with Big Daddy. He was 12 feet long, but never displayed aggression towards me.”
Photos courtesy of Bob Luce.
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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