Bad Luck ?

[Dead Eye]

Talk about bad luck. This is freaky.

Fla. Boater Stabbed in Chest by Stingray
By Associated Press
29 minutes ago

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Fla. - An 81-year-old boater was in critical condition Thursday after a stingray flopped onto his boat and stabbed him, leaving a foot-long barb in his chest, authorities said.

"It was a freak accident," said Lighthouse Point acting fire Chief David Donzella. "It's very odd that the thing jumped out of the water and stung him. We still can't believe it."

Fatal stingray attacks like the one that killed "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin last month are rare, marine experts say. Rays reflexively deploy a sharp spine in their tails when frightened, but the venom coating the barb usually causes just a painful sting for humans.

James Bertakis of Lighthouse Point was on the water with his granddaughter and a friend Wednesday when the stingray flopped onto the boat and stung Bertakis. The women steered the boat to shore and called 911.

Surgeons were able to remove some of the barb, and Bertakis, who also suffered a collapsed lung, underwent surgery late Wednesday and early Thursday, the Miami Herald reported on its web site.

Ellen Pikitch, a professor of marine biology and fisheries at the University of Miami, who has been studying stingrays for decades, said they are generally docile.

"Something like this is really, really extraordinarily rare," she said. "Even when they are under duress, they don't usually attack."

John

[WAHOONBOX]

NO MORE SNORKEL PLAYING WITH DA RAYS FOR ME.....

I'M CURED!!!!

[jbones11]

My brother was surfing in San Diego a few weeks ago and stepped on one in ankle deep water. Luckily he was able to get a Life guard and they got him to the emergency room where they took out a 5 inch barb and stitched him up. I laugh about it now but he said he thought one of the locals shot him with a bb gun or someone threw a knife at him at first. He said it knocked him on his a$$ and he almost shite his pants LOL after he got back up. Nurse in the emergency room said it happens more then people realize. He said he never saw it.