Yes, we do have alligators in Florida!

There is probably not a body of water in Florida that is free from aligators, but we don't always tend to see them. The last day my parents were with us, we drove out to Playa Linda, a wonderful beach on a National Preserve. It is close to the Kennedy Space Center, so we were able to see the shuttle on the launch pad in the distance. On our way out, we saw this gator on the side of the road and just had to stop to take some pics. Kinsey was disgusted and stayed in the car thinking the alligator might dash across the water and attack, but my parents were very fascinated. The ones I have seen in our own back pond are much smaller, so this was kind of exciting. This one was probably about seven feet long.

We spent the rest of this perfect afternoon enjoying the beach. What a perfect day. Days before Orlando had hit record lows (lows in the 30's), so this was a nice change. My parents loved it. Kennedy and Carver boogie boarded and braved the cold water. The rest of us just played in the sand and relaxed.