An account in Lee County, Florida

It was on September 14th 2009, I had a face to face encounter with a Skunk Ape in Fort Myers, Florida. It was about 2-2:30 am I was out in my back yard fishing from a pier in my back yard. I had just moved to Florida on the 1st of Sept. 2009. Honestly I had never heard of a Skunk Ape in my life, squatches and bigfoots yes I had, but being from New Mexico I had never heard of a Skunk Ape. Anyway I was outside fishing and I had caught a couple of snappers and had them there next to me in a bucket, I was dozing off when I heard a noise behind me about 30 feet away in a small canal directly behind me, I was lying down in a lawn cot and not in view of the Skunk Ape. I didn't pay it too much attention thinking it was a Raccoon which I had seen earlier. I heard the noise in the swamp again only louder and closer so I stood up to see what it was. I saw a large figure standing behind about a 5 - 6 ft. palm tree. I couldn't make out what it was so I walked up closer when I saw him turn towards me face to face and only about 15 feet away. I believe I scared or surprised the Ape about as much as he did me, he began to move from side to side and up and down as if mad or frightened. He definitely had an ape-like face and hairy body. Hard to tell the exact color because it was dark except for the light outside on the house, but it did appear to be a darkish brown color, I am guessing over six foot tall because he stood over the Palm tree about a head length. Directly in line with this small ditch or canal are the Railroad tracks leading across the Caloosahatchee River and back into the wilderness and forest or swamps. As I ran into the house to call my wife and son, he also retreated back towards the Railroad tracks and was gone. The house I moved into is in a very Secluded area of Ft. Myers, Florida in a lagoon and wild bird sanctuary.