Video Shows Alligator Slamming Into Kayak, Knocking Man Into Water

Peter Joyce's peaceful day of kayaking in North Carolina's Lake Waccamaw took a terrifying turn when an alligator rammed the side of his kayak, knocking him into the water.

"I thought I heard a fish jump to my left. Turned out not to be a fish," Joyce told ABC 11. "About 3 feet from the kayak, I made out the head of the gator and that was it. I had no time to react."

Video footage shows the gator slam into the kayak, toppling it over.

"My mind was playing catch-up at that point. Basically, when I made out the head toward the front end of the kayak, it was kind of just a state of shock. As soon as it hit the kayak and went under, I was like what just happened."

Fortunately, Joyce was able to grab a tree limb to pull himself out of the water.

"If it hit and there was nothing to grab on the right side of me, I would have inverted, and it could've been a lot worse."

The avid kayaker has seen alligators before, but this is the first time one has charged at him.

"You know, usually they would make a splash or they would move and make a ruckus in the water. But this was a continuous charge from about 20 feet away. So it definitely made me think a little bit differently about what their capabilities are."

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