JUST MINUTES AFTER I DOVE into the water, out of the blue, something hit me so hard I thought it was the propeller of a boat. The blow tore my diving mask off, and I felt a tug at my hand. I shot to the surface, expecting to see a craft motoring away. Instead, I was face-to-face with a 9-foot alligator. We were only feet apart, staring at one another.
I reached around to the back of my head and felt hair in places I’ve never felt hair before. I didn’t really comprehend it in the moment, but parts of my scalp must have been hanging in flaps. When I brought my hand back, it was covered in blood. I’ve been trained to deal with shark encounters, so I knew to stay as…
