When I arrived, Jorge told me this has been one of the hottest summers San Diego natives can remember. High 70s, low 80s? No problem. Still beats the Virginia humidity blanket. It means that the water is also warmer. Ok, cool. That’s usually a plus.
Well, because the water is warmer, nurse sharks and stingrays have been coming a lot closer to shore. He said it’s fine. Nurse sharks don’t attack people and you just have to shuffle your feet to avoid getting stung.
Apparently, one particular stingray did not get that memo. I was only in waist-deep water. There were plenty of people wading nearby. I was making my way back to shore when bang — I felt a pinch on my heel. Maybe a wave swept me up a little bit so I was elevated. Either way, I didn’t touch anything on the sea floor. It was a drive-by stinging.
I got out of the water and saw the spot on my foot was bleeding. The poison took a little bit to set in; the pain came in waves. I’d equate it to a bee sting multiplied by five or thereabouts. Tolerable, but certainly unpleasant.
The bright side is, now I know how to treat a stringray sting. Pro tip: rinse or soak it in HOT water as quick as you can (after removing any debris). Don’t chill out and drink a beer to ease the pain like someone I know. The venom is heat liable so it will help alleviate the discomfort and reduce the poison.
After a beer, a soak and a shower, it took around an hour and a half to start feeling like normal again. I didn’t have any additional swelling or redness so I just ate dinner like a person and went about my business.
I’ve now been accosted by animals from sea, land and air, completing the trifecta.
I guess that’s an accomplishment.
Other than that, San Diego has been exceptional. Great friends. Great weather. Great great.