A Florida Episode

Today we have a short but true story sent in from some relatives of ours down in Florida.  Don't worry, nobody got eaten... but it was a possibility!

We went to Pepper Beach, in Fort Pierce by the Seal Museum one early afternoon. As we sat in our chairs your uncle commented on the two sun-bathing beauties to the side and ahead of us. The life guard tower had the yellow flag slowly blowing in the breeze. It was low tide, which means you could walk out 20 yards before your feet got wet. The surf was almost flat – barely a wave lapping the shore. Suddenly we heard the tweeting whistle going at a frantic pace. Your uncle said “I wonder what’s going on.”  We both looked at the lifeguard tower again. This time the life guard is at the rail waving double red flags and blowing his whistle like crazy. We look out toward the ocean. There were 2 young men on surf boards waiting for waves. Another guy (obviously one of their friends) was shouting to them. A second life guard on the dune buggy was honking the blow horn and waving the surfers in. The guy on the dune buggy stopped by the bathing beauties and pointed toward the sea.  When he left, your uncle got up and went to the ladies to find out what was going on. The life guard had pointed out that the black line just beyond the surf was a school of bait fish that were mating. They were being chased by predator fish such as tarpon. The tarpons are harmless to humans but are food fish to sharks. And that is why when you see schools of bait fish, everyone has to get out of the water. Your uncle could see the fish jumping out of the water. While he tried to show me the black line, suddenly there was a big splash. The other fish (much bigger than sardines) could be seen leaping out of the water like Dolphins. The surfers on shore shouted with glee. One exclaimed, “Did you see that great big tarpon?!”  When the school was a safe distance away the lifeguard flags changed again to yellow; the surfers went back out on their boards; the old folks waded out to get their feet wet, including your uncle.  The activity repeated itself before we left as another school of fish went by. What excitement! Hope you like this chapter in Florida’s wild life.

~ Grandma