As part of preparing for the Tri-America New Orleans ( as well as Kansas Ironman 70.3), I swim in open water. I like being prepared, so ever since I started swimming at the Oak Mountain Double Oak Lake I have researched what animals may live there. After living in Florida for 7+ years - where any large bodies of wate rmay have alligators or sharks - it's a nice change to be in water where I may be the largest animal.
Well, so I thought. I found out a while back that water moccassin snakes ( also known as cottonmouths) live in the area. There is only one venomous water snake in North America, and the aforementioned snake is it. Unfortunately, it is also one of the very few aggressive reptiles that will stand its ground or even approach an intruder! Their bite is highly hemotoxic.
Today, right before getting in the water, I saw one. It was my first sighting of a snake in the water ( I have seen countless while trail running, including coral snakes and timber rattlesnakes, also highly poisonous.) This particular snake was about 3 ft. long, and it was right there in the usual spot I use to enter the lake. It was clear that we both knew of each other's presence, as she was staring right at me, and would move anytime I moved closer. Now I know that is not a very large snake, but I am sure it is large enough to do some damage, especially if I am to get bitten in the middle of the lake.As I walked closer and closer ( fascinated and scared!) she decided she had had enough and left, hiding in the rock wall. I decided to make a lot of noise while entering the water ( using an alternate location) to warn other animals around of my presence and my size. I also made sure I stayed in the middle of the lake, where, contrary to my instincts, that's where I am least likely to encounter another one.
Even though I was wearing my Blue Seventy Helix wetsuit, making me feel a bit more protected against other snakes, it was still an adrenaline-packed 70+ minutes. Sometimes swimming can be scarier than riding on SUV infested roads!
