To all Friends,

I was swimming today in the Caribbean. Now, it is still an Ocean, and as an Ocean; today was kind of ruff. I am glad that I have a mask, and snorkel other wise swimming would have been difficult to say the least. The waves caused by the high winds were choppy, and 2 feet trough to ridge. My body actually was coming out of the water. I have always been to a degree afraid of water. I never liked swimming in anything that I couldn't see all of. At best I would swim in a small pool.

Now with this Damn MD diagnosis; well I guess your out look changes. I swim out maybe around a mile or so, and then back again. I think about, and watch the unknown. Even being the Caribbean you still can't see that far. I have come through many fears. Entering the different sections of the Ocean are fuzzy at first, and unknown, but once your there it is simply better feeling; almost a belonging.

Darker areas in the water used to scare me, but after looking those areas a lot of the time are the shallow's; where the grass grows. I like swimming in these areas; they are still way off the coast line, but shallow enough for the grass, reefs, and all variety of fish. I love studying the microcosms, and then comparing them to what we see, and think to be the grand macrocosms. It fascinates me. The whole time maybe a shark will want to take a nibble from me, but as yet has not occurred. Then there are the "desert" areas. Which also have an abundance of life. Just very different. You have the reefs which I stay away from out of thought, and respect for ruining what takes eons to grow.

I am only writing this out of a short experience I had today. I had just swam out of a grassy area, which usually drop drastically to the more "desert" areas. Then out of the mist of water there she was. There was a Sting Ray. The first one I've ever seen. She was grayish/black with white poke a dots on her back/Top. Her Belly was pure white. Her size was comparable to mine. She did fly! Just as you'd see a bird flapping its wings. Her tail must have been at least 8' in length.

We swam around each other for a good ten minutes. Just studying, and looking with equal amazement, and awe. She wasn't flat as I expected. Her head was the size of a good German Shepard, and looked similar. Her eye were the incredible part. She had the most blue eyes. Very human like. We did swim very close; within five feet of each other at different points. The whole time I felt at peace, yet remembered Steve Irwin. I didn't see anything odd about her tail. Such as a drastic killer stinger; it was simply the width of about two pencils the whole eight feet. Finally, she went her way, and I went mine. I hoped to see her again, but didn't.
Truly it was an experience I will never forget!

Best to You, and Yours,

&&&&

EDIT: This was an email I sent out to friends around a year ago; I thought it was worth sharing with new friends

Wow, Sancho. That was pretty cool.

Don't you be goin' and gettin' soft on us. (you big marshmallow)