Shuffle, step, shuffle, step, turn.

I've been bitten, harassed, stung and attacked by a lot of different animals in my life. Of the aquatic miscreants stingrays almost became a repeat offender.

I was at La Jolla Shores, north of the last bathroom but not quite to the houses. The surf was small but poorly timed. Ragged. More often than not I would catch my self zooming up on the shore and in pretty shallow water much sooner than I would have anticipated.

This has happened to me before. Just 80 yards north of where I was yesterday. Calm day in the water, few surfers. Shuffle step out, catch wave, ride in, jump off and repeat. Except one time BAM, when jumping off I landed on a stingray and got a sting that turned my foot spotted and hurt like I'd broken my ankle.

You can imagine my concern than as I'm whipping over the water, seeing I'm close to shore and need to get off the board I look down. Down through clear water to the sandy bottom. Covered in 6 stingrays.

Help! I pick a spot that doesn't look like a menacing gray lump and jump off as lightly and deftly as I can. Cringing, waiting for the sharp sting to come.

Phew, it doesn't! But that was for sure the last time I got in the water last night. Gives me the creepy crawlies still to see all of them, so clearly, so close to me, and having no option but to jump.