METAIRIE, La. — It's a busy time on the water, but this July 4th, you may want to keep an eye out for alligators near Lake Pontchartrain.
There have been gator spottings near the Bonnabel Boat Launch in Metairie. So, we went to the people who would likely know most about these sightings.
At the Bonnabel Boat Launch on Lake Pontchartrain, all day, everyday you'll find a group of friends.
"He drinks beer," D Cambre laughed with his friend. "We usually cook once a week out here."
The group of 20-or-so guys who come and go throughout the day call themselves the Bonnabel Social Club.
"Just something we named it, you know," Cambre said.
They even hung their group name sign near their hangout.
"It's been in existence for quite a few years," he said.
So if anything happens on these waters, they're the ones to know.
"You got a 3-and-a-half footer, a 6-footer, and a 7-footer, they're all seen at the same time," said one of the Bonnabel Social Club members, Paul.
Lately a hot topic for the social club has been alligators.
"They'll come up right up in here," Paul said.
A viewer sent us a picture of an alligator he spotted there several days ago.
"One was about 7 foot right here the other day," Cambre said.
Dr. John Lopez with the Pontchartrain Basin foundation estimate it is 6- or 7-feet-long.
According to the Bonnabel Social Club, seeing gators around there isn't anything new, but it is becoming a lot more frequent.
"I see them at least once a week," Cambre said.
"Ever since they opened the spillway," Paul said.
Dr. Lopez believes that's likely because gators are attracted to the fresh water from the Bonnet Carre spillway opening and the spillway is possibly even flushing some of them out
"The gator sightings are something to keep in mind especially for the 4th of July and throughout the weekend when more people are expected to be out on the water," Cambre said.
The best thing you can do is leave them alone and don't feed them. If they are putting people in danger, you can call Wildlife and Fisheries.