DUI AND CHILD NEGLECT AND BOOKED INTO THE LEE COUNTY. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO OUT OF FORT MYERS BEACH. WHAT WAS MEANT TO BE A NORMAL DAY AT THE BEACH TURNED INTO A CRAZY EXPERIENCE FOR MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE. GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER NATASHA KOSOUL WAS ON THE BEACH TODAY. HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO SAW ALL GOING DOWN. >> VISITORS EXPECT SUNSHINE AND CLEAR BLUE WATER AT FORT MYERS BEACH. BUT ONE FAMILY FOUND SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. INSTEAD I SEE EVERYBODY LOOKING ON THE BEACH AND I’M LIKE, WELL, I BETTER GO INVESTIGATE. I CAME DOWN HERE. SURE ENOUGH AS A GATOR AND WERE FROM IOWA. SO WE NEVER EVER SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS. IT IS. >> JUST UNREAL. JUSTIN BETTS WAS LOOKING OVER THEIR BALCONY WITH HIS BINOCULARS WITH HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS SATURDAY. HE WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AND SAW A SHOCKING SIGHT OF A GATOR SWIMMING NEAR THE SAND ON FORT MYERS BEACH. IN THIS VIDEO, YOU CAN SEE THE GATORS HEAD BOBBING IN THE WATER AS THE WAVES CRASHED. PRETTY CRAZY. >> ANY USE JUST FLOATING? GETTING TUCKED UNDERNEATH THE WATER. BUT IT WAS COOL ARE STILL A PFEIFFER. ALSO SAW THE GATOR. SHE’S BEEN VISITING FORT MYERS BEACH FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND HAS NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE. I SAW A LOT OF ANIMALS, BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS. >> BIRDS AND DOLPHINS. >> BUT IN THE END, WE ENDED UP SEEING ALLIGATOR. >> QUITE CLOSE TO THE BEACH. IT MAY BE A RARE SIGHTING FOR VISITORS BUT SEEING AN ALLIGATOR IN THE GULF ISN’T THAT UNCOMMON? FWC SAYS IF YOU SEE A GATOR, YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR DISTANCE WHILE GATORS LIVE MAINLY IN FRESH WATER. THEY CAN SWIM IN THE GULF AND ARE OFTEN SPOTTED IN NEARBY AREAS LIKE LOVERS KEY, NO YOU LIE. WATCH WH
Family discovers alligator swimming near Fort Myers Beach
A family visiting Fort Myers Beach from Iowa spotted an alligator swimming near the shore, an unusual sight for tourists but not uncommon in the Gulf.
Updated: 7:10 PM EDT Apr 19, 2026
A family visiting Fort Myers Beach from Iowa encountered an unexpected sight on Saturday: an alligator swimming near the shore. “I seen everybody looking on the beach, and I’m like, well, I better go investigate, and I came down here and sure enough, it was a gator, and we’re from Iowa, so we never, ever see anything like this. It-it’s just unreal,” Justin Betts said. Betts had been looking over the beach with binoculars from his balcony alongside family and friends when he decided to head downstairs for a closer look. He spotted the alligator swimming near the sand, its head bobbing in the water as waves crashed around it. “It was pretty crazy, and it was just floating and getting tucked underneath the water, but it was cool,” Elaina Modderman, also from Iowa, said. Ursula Pfeiffer, a visitor from Germany who has been coming to Fort Myers Beach for over 30 years, said she had never seen an alligator there before. “I saw a lot of animals. Beautiful animals, birds and fish and dolphins. But in the end, we ended up seeing an alligator across quite close to the beach,” Pfeiffer said. While spotting an alligator in the Gulf may be rare for visitors, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says it isn’t uncommon. Alligators primarily live in freshwater but can swim in the Gulf and are often seen in nearby areas like Lovers Key. FWC advises people to keep their distance if they encounter an alligator. “No matter where you are. Watch what animals are around you,” Marie Modderman, another visitor from Iowa, said.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. —
A family visiting Fort Myers Beach from Iowa encountered an unexpected sight on Saturday: an alligator swimming near the shore.
“I seen everybody looking on the beach, and I’m like, well, I better go investigate, and I came down here and sure enough, it was a gator, and we’re from Iowa, so we never, ever see anything like this. It-it’s just unreal,” Justin Betts said.
Betts had been looking over the beach with binoculars from his balcony alongside family and friends when he decided to head downstairs for a closer look. He spotted the alligator swimming near the sand, its head bobbing in the water as waves crashed around it.
“It was pretty crazy, and it was just floating and getting tucked underneath the water, but it was cool,” Elaina Modderman, also from Iowa, said.
Ursula Pfeiffer, a visitor from Germany who has been coming to Fort Myers Beach for over 30 years, said she had never seen an alligator there before.
“I saw a lot of animals. Beautiful animals, birds and fish and dolphins. But in the end, we ended up seeing an alligator across quite close to the beach,” Pfeiffer said.
While spotting an alligator in the Gulf may be rare for visitors, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says it isn’t uncommon. Alligators primarily live in freshwater but can swim in the Gulf and are often seen in nearby areas like Lovers Key.
FWC advises people to keep their distance if they encounter an alligator.
“No matter where you are. Watch what animals are around you,” Marie Modderman, another visitor from Iowa, said.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.