No, not hard water season down here.

A week or so back, we paddled in the St. John River/Dunn's Creek/ Crescent Lake area.  See: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) We saw a big gator swimming across the creek and a few smaller ones sunning themselves on the banks.  Lots of birds you'll never see up north.  It was a fun paddle & we had a good time.

Got to be careful around those gators, though.  Just last week a 9 footer decided that a guy (fishing from the shore of a small lake in county where I live) looked like dinner.  Bystanders managed to fight the critter off and the guy was airlifted to the hospital.  He survived.  See: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

The very next day - a good distance to the south down in the Everglades - a large crocodile had the very same idea.  He went after a 68 year-old guy whose sailboat had turned over.  See: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
8   

A month back, I was down there myself.  While I did not witness this, it happened the very day I was there: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Gators & crocodiles are the real deal down here, so beware when you head out for that leisurely paddle!

Jimbo