I didn’t realize there are so many gators in SC. My brother in law and his family have lived in Summerville for decades and we have visited them often, but I have never seen a gator around there. Must be because I haven’t been at the right places at the right time I suppose. How much farther up the coast do they live?
I have seen a few in the Black River, just about 10 mi west of Georgetown, SC. One 10ft gator that had been shot (and a couple of guys were hauling away down river), and many smaller ones.
I saw a huge one (>12 ft) just south of Winyah Bay in teh intracoastal waterway. That is ~60 mi. norh of the Charleston Harbor.
Of course, for every gator you see, there are 3 that you do not.