Aug 24 Updates

Cheryl and I ventured over to the real Gulf Shores west of Fort Morgan to try to find some wavier beach action. There was none to be found, but we had some fun in the water anyway. As Cheryl commented to me, there is something about wildlife and...me. She never saw crabs, jellyfish or stingrays before we first came together a few years ago. That was the year of many rays and one bad sting by a bad, bad jelly on my arm. This year has been less filled with encounters, but today sort of changed that.

I was shuffling my feet like a good boy and all of a sudden I felt a strong shock shooting through my foot and up my leg. What the? Seriously? What just happened? Oh crap, I just stepped on a ray, I thought, as I saw it swim out from under me. I waited for the supposed excruciating pain...and waited, and it never came. Huh, that was weird. I turned to Cheryl: "I just got shocked by something!"

A few steps later (I was leaving the water!), it happened again. Crap it hurts! But no sting, no puncture, no blood. What the heck is doing this to me? Well, I got on Google tonight and found out--it's the Lesser Electric Ray. Read about 'em here.

Beyond that experience, I was able to add another fish species to my list during some sunset fishing. It's a Needlefish, and they can grow to three feet long--pretty fearsome sight at 3' I'm sure. This one was only about a third of that, but a fun catch anyway.

I am falling in love with this saltwater thing. I just wish there were more flyshops around--these boys tear up some flies...and tackle. Everytime I meet a local and ask about fly shops, no one has a clue. I don't think many are on the fly down here. Oh well, more for me!