Alligator paddle picture: Florida croc relaxes into tail end of summer with pool float

Crocodile paddle: Local Victor Perez snapped this alligator on a pool noodle. Photo / Instagram.com

What could be more relaxing? As the end of summer draws in on Florida's palm beach it's not unusual to see residents sedately paddling along with the aid of a pool float. It's a pursuit normally reserved by the healthy retirement community, but not normally alligators. Though that's exactly what has been photographed in Florida's Bayside canal

An alligator has been spotted doing lengths in a Florida neighbourhood on a bright yellow pool noodle.

The unusual scene was snapped by local Victor Perez, who had to double take when he saw the recreating reptile in the canal behind his house.

"I'm on my balcony, and all of a sudden, I see this noodle and there's a alligator hanging off of it," he told the Miami Herald.

View this post on Instagram

Crock on a float #keylargo #rockemnreelem #floating #keyslife

A post shared by Victor F Perez (@vfpkeys) on Aug 6, 2018 at 5:16pm PDT

After taking the picture, he started to worry how the croc came across the pool float. "Ok where's the swimmer? What happened to the guy with the noodle?" he pondered.

At first it seemed the alligator had caught the float by accident, but as it glided about it seems the giant reptile was enjoying the ride.

"I don't know how he got that thing, but he looked like just any typical Florida tourist!" he said.

While alligators are local to the area they are normally seen using pool aids; though they do seem to be increasingly relaxed around the human residents. Last month a plane was delayed taking off from Orlando Airport as it waited for an alligator to get off the runway.

Only in Florida... a gator held up our Spirit Airlines plane crossing the runway at MCO on the way home from DC. 🐊 follow @Horizonless_Nomad (Horizonless Nomad) on Instagram for more travel adventures ✈️

Posted by Anthony Velardi on Monday, 11 June 2018

The incident was filmed and posted to facebook by trapped Spirit Airlines passenger, Anthony Verladi.

However this is the first incident of an alligator photographed with swimming aid in Florida or, possibly, the world.