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We would have made a great lunch for the devilish beast, but gods willing this wasn't to be our fate.
It was a beautiful day for playing in the water, especially near the sandbar by Pineda Causeway. This was a special time in a special place. When the tide was just right and the weather was nice, the sandbar would have a great length above the water. It was almost like a tiny beach with little baby sized waves crashing gently on its shore.
I always loved exploring this little treasure trove of childhood adventure land. We used to play Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe. It was a place where imagination had a wonderful boost from nature to kick things into high gear.
One particular adventure was in our old canoe. During low tide the water could get so shallow in spots that even the canoe could run hard aground.
My sister and I were out with our dad just enjoying the beauty of the day on the water. Dad seemed nervous at one point and started rowing a little more earnestly than necessity should justify. As we passed underneath the bridge and gained sunlight at the northern end, I saw the cause for my fathers concern.
An immense sting ray had been following us. It had to have a wingspan of well over 6 feet. Our canoe hit a partially submerged rock, and stuck for a moment. The devilish beast began to quake. It was intent on overturning our boat. As a five year old boy, the tail alone on this ray was as long as I was tall, and the poison barb was the size of my arm.
My sister and I were frozen with fear, and just at the moment of our last despair, dad stepped calmly out of the canoe with an oar in his hand and laid one good smack on that beast right between its beady little eyes.
If you have ever seen a sea creature go cross-eyed, and faint when struck with a blow to the head, you were standing too close. This monster sank slowly to the shallow bottom and could bother us no more.
It was a long time before we went out again in our old canoe.
