We go into the water but have made a huge mistake, one we forget about until we battle some decent surf. We are in the part of the beach with large rocks and intermittent boulders that are in the swim area during all but the lowest tide point. Of course, these rocks are large enough to see, but they are surrounded by sink holes where the waves carve tunnels around them. My friend maneuvers around these stony land mines with grace and ease. I try to follow her lead, step gracelessly into a sandy hole, and go down hard in the shallow water, laughing and completely soaking myself in the process.
My pal looks at me as I drag myself back to my unsteady feet. "Um, I don't want to be in the water with you and your bloody hand." Oooops. Even though it's my foot that stings from the rock, apparently I cut the back of my left hand with my flailing on the way down. The theme song for jaws runs through my brain.
Beach tips for the day: Don't slice your hand open in the water unless you want to attract sharks and other varmints and scare your friends; don't play chicken with ocean boulders that are under the water unless you want to make a total spectacle of yourself on a crowded beach.
