WILMINGTON, N.C. — A terrifying moment with an alligator was caught on camera in North Carolina.
Video recorded from the kayaker's point of view showed the moment the reptile attacked the man as he navigated the Waccamaw River.
MORE: Florida man sings and reads to relax gators during pandemic
"I thought I heard a fish jumping to my left. It turned out not to be a fish. About 3 feet from the kayak, I made out the head of the gator and that was it. I had no time to react," said kayaker Peter Joyce.
Joyce said he didn't see the alligator after the incident and said he was able to paddle away.
"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," said Joyce.
He said he thinks the gator became aggressive because it could have been protecting its young.
Joyce said he plans to paddle this part of the river again but at a different time of the year.
