I run into them all the time in Fl. and south Ga. I've never had one do anything other than charge me in the kayak. They break off at the last minute if you hold your ground. Apparently, they see the kayak as another competitor. On land, I've never had them bother me, except the one time I stepped on one (she was taking a nap in the sun) by accident. She went one way (into the water) and I went the other (up the embankment). I'm not which one of us was more scared. On the upside, I think I set a new 100-yard dash record.