04.11.10

04.11.10, originally uploaded by colemama.

The stingrays were feeding along the edge of the beach this morning and I managed to capture this shot. Though not the best, I saw it as a coup...given that most of the other photos were only of their quickly exposed 'wing' tips and farther away.

Generally, these guys are buried in the sand and when an unknowing human's foot lands atop of them, their barbed tail curls up and into the foot or ankle with a very wicked venom. So, if you are from around here, you don't walk in the water, you do the 'stingray shuffle' as when you shuffle your feet, that alerts the stingray and he moves on peacefully to an undisturbed area. The stingray's attack is totally defensive - in fact, I've seen swimmers in the midst of 50 or so rays...all just happily swimming along.

It pays to know about your environment and the behaviors of others. When you do, you can make wise decisions about your own reactions. Sometimes, value systems, intuition, or just plain stubbornness may guide choices, as well. Plato's attributed to saying, "A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers." - it makes sense to gather as much information as you can in order to make the best choice. 5th Ave N & Gulf of Mexico, Naples, FL