— A woman from Ayden, North Carolina told WRAL News she was shocked to find alligators in the surf on North Topsail Beach on Saturday.

JoAnn Groeger, who said she has been visiting North Topsail Beach for 20 years and has never seen an alligator gator there, said the sight was amazing and shocking.

In a phone interview, Groeger said she was walking along the beach on Saturday around 6 p.m. when she saw a small alligator in the surf. When she turned around to walk the other way, she saw a larger alligator, which she estimated to be 10-feet long, about 0.25 miles from the first.

Groeger said swimmers were in the water at the time, adding that everyone kept their distance but used their phones to see if someone could rescue them.

Alligators are primarily freshwater animals and they do not live in the ocean, according to the National Ocean Service.

It is unclear how the alligators made it to the beach, but according to the National Ocean Service, they can tolerate salt water for a few hours or even days.

There was no lifeguard or lifeguard stand near the alligators.

According to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, while it's rare to see alligators on a beach, there have been some sightings along the southern coast.

In June 2018, a gator was spotted in the surf along Florida's Big Hickory Island.

In Nov. 2017, an alligator spotted on a Hollywood, Florida beach also drew crowds.

Phone interview conducted by Erin Simanskis, WRAL-TV Assignment Editor.