Lol...well an animal of that size surely quite slow when not on the water, I would have gone closer
I wouldn't get that close to it..
[h=5]The American alligator,
Alligator mississippiensi, is the largest reptile in North America. It has a large, dark (usually black), slightly rounded body and thick limbs.[/h] Unlike the crocodile, the alligator has a broad head. The alligator uses its powerful tail to propel itself through water. The tail accounts for half the alligator's length. While alligators move very quickly in water, they are generally slow-moving on land.
They can, however, move quickly for short distances.