A heart-stopping moment was caught on camera as a giant alligator swam up behind a 12-year-old wakeboarder in Texas, sparking viral attention on social media.
The now-viral TikTok video shows Clair Hurta, a competitive wakesurfer backed by Pure Wakesurf, casually enjoying a break between practice runs on the Colorado River near Bay City, Texas, when a massive alligator suddenly surfaced just feet behind her. Despite the close encounter, Clair appeared cool and composed — even smiling at the camera after spotting the predator.
The jaw-dropping footage was recorded by Clair’s mother, Crystal Hurta, and has since garnered nearly 543,000 views on TikTok.
In the clip, Clair is initially seen smiling and laughing. Moments later, she turns and notices the alligator gliding through the water just a few feet away. With remarkable calm, she looks at it, turns back around, and gives the camera another smile, completely unfazed.
Crystal, who grew up along the Colorado River, described the gator as “pretty big,” with its head clearly visible above the waterline. “Clair looked at it and just shrugged it off—she wasn’t worried. Now, a snake would make her walk on water,” she joked in an interview with Chron.
Following the startling encounter, Crystal and Clair quickly left the area and reported the sighting of the potential nuisance gator to Texas game wardens. “We know they are there, but seeing them isn’t something I like,” Crystal explained. “She was surfing, and once she fell and I went back to pick her up, I noticed the gator swimming across and was able to capture that moment. It was far enough away to where I wasn’t worried, nor was Clair.”
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, alligators are common in many parts of the state. While they typically pose little danger, the risk increases when they lose their natural fear of humans or start associating people with food or boats — behaviors that classify them as “nuisance” gators, which should be reported to authorities.
TikTok users were quick to praise the young surfer’s composure during the tense moment. “You guys are bred different! I would have lost my sheet (sic),” one user commented. Another added, “Damn you guys are truly built different. Don’t think I could do that.” A local chimed in with, “That gator actually scared me and I was in the boat. Idk how Clair wasn’t like screaming.”
Despite the shocking scene, Clair’s calm reaction and her mother’s quick thinking helped ensure the situation ended safely — and gave the internet a viral moment that won’t soon be forgotten.
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