Alligators enjoy the surf and the beaches along the grand strand more frequently than in past decades.

Game enforcement and a local pastor spotted 2 alligators enjoy the surf within just days apart from one another.

A gator was seen at Huntington Beach State Park on last Monday evening, located just south of Myrtle Beach near Murrells Inlet. Tim Yauger, an associate pastor at Bread of Life Tabernacle in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, reported the sighting.

Yauger and his wife, Samantha, along with their two children, visited the state park on their first day in South Carolina during their anniversary vacation.

Exciting Sightings: 2 Alligators Enjoy the Surf

The two alligators were seen in the ocean in Sunset Beach and Huntington State Park within days of each other. Tourists were delighted to watch the 2 alligators enjoy the surf following heavy rainstorms that hit the coastal regions of North and South Carolina over multiple days.

A few days prior to authorities capturing an alligator stranded on Sunset Beach, a family on vacation in South Carolina observed a gator leisurely walking along the shoreline.

Following the gathering of numerous beach visitors for photos, a Sunset Beach officer utilized a catch pole to remove the alligator from the ocean, according to a statement from law enforcement.

The alligator from Sunset Beach, which was one of 22 caught and moved in Brunswick County over five weeks, got relocated to a nearby pond for release.

The Yauger family noticed the Huntington Beach State Park alligator at the beach shortly before 8 p.m. on Monday, just a few hours after arriving in the Myrtle Beach area.

Samantha Yauger mentioned that a lady, who had also witnessed the alligator, informed the pair that she had been strolling along the beach area for a decade, eagerly looking out for an alligator either in the water or on the 3-mile unspoiled beach stretch.

The gator didn’t seem to bother the couple’s two children.

After spotting the alligator, the Yauger’s two children, Timmy and Gabby wasted no time and immediately entered the water, swimming in the ocean.

One of Yauger’s children was actually thrilled to observe the creature.

“My son’s favorite animal is an alligator,” said Tim Yauger, who added the family stayed far from the reptile.

The South Carolina alligator soon returned to the vast marshland encompassed by the 2,500-acre state park, then disappeared.

“It was a blessing from the Lord for sure,” Tim Yauger said.

Alligators typically inhabit freshwater environments such as swamps, lakes, or ponds, as stated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are seldom seen in close proximity to the ocean.

Wildlife specialists indicate that alligators can occasionally be found in the ocean as a result of powerful currents, storms, or becoming confused in brackish waters. Over the past 10 days, there have been multiple instances of severe storms bringing heavy rainfall to regions near Myrtle Beach and Sunset Beach.

Sightings, like these 2 alligators enjoy the surf, are more frequent after heavy rain periods.

The Yauger family returned to Pennsylvania on Saturday. Following the initial day’s alligator encounter, the couple described the remainder of the week as peaceful.

“The gator was enough adventure for us for the week,” Tim Yauger said. “It was nice to relax and spend time with the family.”

While it is rare to see 2 alligators enjoy the surf in the Myrtle Beach area, visiting less traveled beaches like Huntington Beach or the Ingram Dunes Nature Preserve in North Myrtle Beach increase the odds.