My name is Brandon Bailey and I live on Saint Simon's Island, GA. I am 31 years old and have been a surfer since the age of 12. I have always considered myself a "short boarder" until I bought an Isle Stand Up Paddleboard last fall. I am now able to surf an un-named wave on the Northern sandbar of Gould's Inlet (which separates Sea Island and Saint Simon's Island). The wave most often works with any eastern oriented wind/ground swell. About 3 hours ago I had a head on collision with an alligator while riding a wave. I have no photo or video evidence. I have only one witness (Scott Bradley) who is also responsible for saving my limbs and or life when he warned me of something in the water heading for me.Earlier that morning when I checked the Surfline buoy observations, the Grays Reef buoy was 4ft at 9 seconds from the east with a light side/onshore wind. These are some of the best variables to have for this spot to work (of course bigger would be even better). A friend and I loaded up the boards and headed to the beach. The surf looked even better than what I had anticipated based solely on the buoy observations...and of course...nobody out but the two of us (it is Georgia of all places).
The first session was with a Bailey Roundtree and it lasted about 2 hours then we took a break, ate lunch, ran some errands and I went back for a second session with Scott Bradley before the tide went completely out. The second session only lasted about an hour and a half because the wind had changed directions and created an annoying surface chop. Scott and I decided to call it a day and catch one more wave to the beach. As I paddled around looking for that all important "last ride of the day", I saw that my buddy had caught one and was on the beach already. So I just caught the next set wave and was about half the distance from my take off point and the beach when I heard Scott yelling at me about something in the water.
I thought I heard him scream "alligator," but it really didn't compute. I began scanning the water ahead of me and started looking for a stick or log that he most assuredly was mistakenly calling an alligator. I imagined that if he was correct, it was probably a baby alligator, maybe 3 feet long at best. I continued to ride the remnants of the wave towards the beach when I saw what Scott was talking about. He was correct, but my imagination was way off. As the previous wave of the set rolled forward I saw the alligator surge out of the back of the wave and sized it up. It was 8 foot (if not bigger) and it was swimming straight towards my vector. The alligator continued to charge me as I continued forward. I was unable to change course (because the wave had already closed out and I was just riding the whitewhater mush). I was beach bound unless I jumped off of the board and that did not seem like the best option.
At this point I knew that some type of encounter was un-avoidable. The effects of tunnel vision had begun to overwhelm all of my senses and I knew my entire being's goal was to make sure I didn't fall off the board during the imminent "collision." The alligator maneuvered to the right side of my board while I drew back my paddle as if to stab a tent pole into the ground and then lowered my center of gravity as my knees began to weaken. The alligator opened its mouth and I started my downward stabbing motion with the paddle and just before I was able to strike him (I was hoping to cram the paddle so far down its throat that it wouldn't have room for my limbs) he snapped his jaws shut and dove directly under my board.
Time had begun to stand almost still as I stopped and waited for impact. I felt the jolt as my fin raked across the length of the reptile. The alligator then began thrashing wildly under my board (the water was only about 1-2 foot deep at the time of impact, and I had compressed him on the ocean bottom as we crossed paths). Once the thrashing stopped I slowly started turning around and looking behind me for any sign of the alligator. Time was still moving in nanoseconds as the adrenaline continued to surge throughout my body. Finally, I spotted his tail splashing 5 feet away moving in the opposite direction as me. I had maintained my balance by the skin of my teeth, regained full composure and then paddled as fast as possible to the beach.
I can't claim that it was an actual "attack" since the alligator didn't take away any of my flesh or even damage my board, however it was either hungry or about to try and mate with my surfboard (I am going with the former).
I am pretty sure that this is probably the first time in surfing history that a surfer has run over an alligator (of formidable size) while surfing. It was an incredible rush and it will be an event that I will never forget as a surfer.
I have seen plenty of alligators in the rivers in our area, but this is the first time I have ever seen one in the surf. Actually, maybe it was reptile karma because earlier when I had taken the break between sessions, I saw a turtle crossing the road and I did not stop and help it across the road. I probably will always help turtles cross roads from here on out.
Your Loyal Isle Surfboards Customer,
Brandon Bailey
