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A 10-foot-long alligator was casually spotted taking a dip in the sea in Florida.

Beachgoers and boaters saw the gator paddling towards them along the shore of Palm Coast last Saturday.

This was an unusual sight, to say the least, considering that alligators are usually found in slow-moving freshwater rivers, swamps and marshes.

Nick Serrano, an aerial photographer based in the northern town of Juniper, was filming a blacktip shark migration when he saw the giant gator.

The alligator was swimming in the surf just north of Jupiter inlet on Jupiter Island.

Sharing a video of the reptile he filmed using a drone, Serrano wrote on Instagram: ‘Incredibly grateful to have captured this moment.

‘I’ve lived along the treasure coast and palm beaches for 18 years and have never seen an alligator break the inlet,’ he added. ‘I’ve heard stories of possible sightings in the past but none have been captured on video to my knowledge.

‘A once-in-a-lifetime experience I’ll be sure to remember.’

Serrano commented that the alligator showed some ‘negative signs’ so he called the state’s animal welfare agency.

‘I called it in as a concern for the gator’s well-being as well as some potential injuries to the left forward limb and snout. Wasn’t sure if it was able to make it back inshore without assistance,’ he added.

Serrano, head of Altitude Film & Photo, said that he never saw the alligator ‘touch the beach, but watched it swim through the shore break’ for 30 minutes.

He said: ‘The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called, but I’m not sure if anything came of it.’

The National Ocean Service says alligators do not live in the ocean but can ride the surf and tolerate saltwater for a few hours or even days.

Instagram users couldn’t quite get over what Serrano saw.

One said: ‘Most times when I see footage of them swimming it’s in murky water. How beautiful this looks with the turquoise sea!’

Another added: ‘Thank you so much for the wonderful video! Just a beautiful reminder of our creatures and the creation we all have to share.’

A third said: ‘Incredible on so many levels.’

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