UGLY!!

OK, so the kids and I seem to have a knack for trouble. The other day, while enjoying the beach, we found a fish who had been stranded in a tide pool. He was on his side trying to stay under water, and we couldn't stand it. So, we used Evan's bucket to rescue him. It was great to see him swim off.

As we were walking out to the surf, we saw what looked like a rock sitting on the sand. A closer look revealed this beauty.



We thought he was dead, but of course we wanted a photo. While we stood there, the fish suddenly took a big 'breath' and we were horrified. Incredibly ugly, stuck on the sand, and still alive and suffering! Being the philanthropists we are, we scooped him up and returned him to the water.

Two days later, I bought Evan a book on Australia's deadliest creatures. Paging through it, I discovered that we had rescued an estuarine stonefish, the world's most venomous fish. No joke. We just seem to come across the craziest things while minding our own business! This animal is why shoes are recommended for beach walking here. Its neurotoxins deliver horrible pain to anyone unfortunate enough to step on one, and they can survive many hours out of water. They live in the same habitats as crocodiles and ambush their prey from under the sand. Immediate medical treatment is required if you are stung by one of these guys.



And we saved it......