A 20-year-old woman named Marissa Carr from Florida had a close encounter with a 9-foot long alligator while snorkeling at a park swimming hole over the weekend.
Fortunately, Carr considers herself “lucky” as she only ended up with two scratches on her forehead.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a call on Sunday regarding the incident at Alexander Springs Recreation Area, located about 60 miles north of Orlando.
FWC promptly responded, and Carr was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. A specialist in handling nuisance alligators also arrived and successfully removed the 9-foot-long alligator from the park.
Carr and her friend were snorkeling in Alexander Springs, a popular spot for divers due to its large, fresh spring and unique geological features. The incident occurred so quickly that Carr didn’t initially realize she had been bitten by an alligator.
“I ripped the mask off and I turn and see the two little eyes sticking out of the water,” She told.
She only began to feel pain on her face and neck after she emerged from the water, as reported by the outlet.
She had on a full-face snorkel mask, which she believes provided protection for her face and made her head appear larger, potentially making it difficult for the alligator to grip her securely.
“Sounds bad, but it biting my head is probably the best place that it could have been because like, if it would have got my arm and that it would have got a better grip on my arm and I could have lost my arm or just like my life in general. So like, I think the head he didn’t get a good grip of it,” she told.
“So I think I’m genuinely just really, really lucky.”
