We touched! It was sooo cool…
I was on my way to the boat, and stopped by to see Shorty and Julie on the way. I brought them some of the grouper I got the other day.
They were sitting out back on the porch, overlooking the beach below. Their porch has a commanding view of the water just steps below.
“We’ve been watching two manta rays cruising the beach all morning”, they said.
I was excited, I’ve seen the manta rays here on occasion, they come to Bimini for a few weeks every summer. I’ve tried to swim with them a few times over the years, but they’re very skittish.
“Here he comes now!” Julie said, pointing down the beach.
Their bluff is maybe fifteen feet above the white sand, and as I looked down the beach, I could see a large dark shape gliding towards us.
I needed no second thought! I dropped my backpack, stripped off my shirt, grabbed my mask and fins and ran down the steps to the beach.
He was maybe two hundred feet away, moving slowly. I was tempted to jump right in, but didn’t want to make a splash he could hear. So I ran further down the beach to put more distance between us.
(Here’s where the camera starts rolling)
I was so excited, my hands were trembling! I put on my mask and fins and backed into the shallow water…
There’s a narrow strip of rocks in about three feet of water, then its pure white sand all the way out to the reef. I position myself over the rocks and wait…
My heart’s beating fast, and knowing that he might get spooked by its rapid pace, I breath slow and easy, calming myself…
Here he comes!!!
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