Pool noodles aren't just an important swimming aid. Their buoyancy and bendiness make fun times in the water even more fun than usual.

But don't just take our word for it. This crocodile in Florida clearly thinks so too, having been spotted using a bright yellow pool noodle when crossing a canal in Key Largo earlier in the month.

The surreal scene was recently snapped by local Victor Perez, who couldn't believe what he was seeing in the canal behind his house.

"I'm on my balcony, and all of a sudden, I see this noodle and there's a crocodile hanging off of it," Perez told the Miami Herald.

"It was just cruising along, and I was like, 'OK, where's the swimmer?', 'What happened to the guy with the noodle?'"

 

A post shared by Victor F Perez (@vfpkeys) on

It's not known how the croc came across the noodle in question, but unless Perez has been photoshopping the pictures, the animal really was riding the swimming aid, as two photos from different angles on his Instagram both show the noodle in use.

At first, Perez didn't actually notice the crocodile riding the noodle; it took a closer look to actually spot the giant reptile taking advantage of the floating tube.

"I don't know how he got that thing, but he looked like just any typical Florida tourist!" Perez said.

 

A post shared by Victor F Perez (@vfpkeys) on

While it's not unusual to see crocodiles in the area, it's quite possible this is the first instance of one riding a swimming aid like this in Florida (or in fact anywhere).

"We see crocs from time to time in our canal but never ever one on a noodle," Perez told FOX 13.

"He could have been from up north on vacation just chilling."