"We thought it was a log," Bell said. "But it had two knobby-looking eyes. ... It looked kind of weird. We were all looking at each other and saying, 'Was that an alligator?' "

Throughout the rest of the day, the trio kept their eyes on the spot in the water where they saw the 3-foot-long creature.

They got some glimpses, but not another full view of the critter.

"I've seen lots of strange things on the bay before, but never an alligator," Bell said.

In all likelihood, the creature wasn't an alligator, said South Riverkeeper Diana Muller, who met the men and has been keeping a watchful eye out for the critter.

Muller has two theories about the creature: Either it's a large, old snapping turtle, or it's a caiman or other reptilian pet that was discarded in the water.

"Until I see it, I don't know," Muller said. "I'm just waiting."

The common caiman is a reptile belonging to the crocodilia order, but it's smaller than a crocodile. Native to Central and South America, caimans have been introduced to Florida and Puerto Rico.

"They don't travel too far, so it's possible someone tossed in a caiman," Muller said.

Unwanted pets dumped in nature can wreak havoc on ecosystems. The infamous and invasive northern snakehead fish, with its toothy mouth and ability to slither on land, ended up in a Crofton pond in 2002 after being dumped from a home aquarium.

If Muller gets a good look at the South River's mystery alligator-turtle-caiman creature, she plans to snap photos and call in the authorities if necessary.

If it's a snapping turtle, it will be left alone - as unfriendly as they might be, they belong here.

If it's something that doesn't belong in the river, like a caiman, she'll ask the Department of Natural Resources to catch it.

Muller said she's used to getting strange calls at her South River Federation office, but none quite like this.

"This is the weirdest," she said.

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