Alligator Watching at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

Alligator looking a lot like a dead log at Anahuac NWR, Texas.

Laurie said, “He’s right there. In the middle of the water. Look. Look. Look where I’m pointing.”

Laurie and I had just entered the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. We’d come hoping to see Alligators.

She had seen a good-sized gator in the canal off to our left. But I still couldn’t see anything.

“Okay,” she said, “See that log over there, floating in the water?”

Yes, I said. And where is the Alligator, in relation to the log?

She smiled. “It is the log.”

Huh.

And as I stared, the log transformed into an Alligator head. Like a magic trick. A very disturbing one.

If I been a Raccoon, or a Deer, coming to the water to drink, would I have seen the Alligator?

Alligator sliding through the shallows at Anahuac NWR, Texas

Or would I have still been wondering where the Alligator was, near that ‘log’ floating in the water?

It’s funny, I started writing this post thinking that I needed to convey to you how good this trip was. To ‘sell’ the trip to Anahuac NWR. It’s one of the perils of blogging, I suppose.

Alligator basking in the bankside vegetation Anahuac NWR.

But this trip, you see…it was something else. To be able to watch Gators in the wild this way…it was a religious experience.

If you don’t get what I’m worked up about, then you should probably forget about this, and just stay home.

Alligator on the bank at Anahuac NWR, Texas.

But if you understand what I’m saying, then you should get down and see these Alligators as soon as you can.

Group of Alligators at Anahuac NWR, Texas

Alligator in water at Anahuac NWR, Texas.

Alligator moving through shallow water at Anahuac NWR, Texas.

Alligator tracks at Anahuac NWR, Texas. The undulating center track is the Gator’s tail, and the churned up mud to either side of the track are footprints.

Alligator tracks in the mud at Anahuac NWR,

Alligator tracks in the mud at Anahuac NWR.

It’s like a trip into our prehistory.