Saving lives...

Well one life really.  So I met my friend, Katie, at Browne's for brunch (if any of you visit we are totally going there for food...dee-lish!).  After, we decided to take a walk down by the strand.  Now it wasn't a beautiful day, sort of cloudy and grey, but days are always lovely when they involve a walk along the strand!  We're walking along, talking about how much more beautiful high tide is than low tide when Katie points out a dead fish on the sand.  There was only about 1/2' of space between the water's edge and the deadly rocks (deadly to a fish).  I refused to believe it was dead and upon closer examination I saw that it was a baby leopard shark, we'll call him Larry.  Larry was extremely weak, but not yet dead, so I found an old pine branch amongst the rocks and at first tried to simply roll him back into the water.  After 1 failed attempt, I realized that was not the way to go since it would likely cause more damage than help.  I stepped off the rocks, onto the sand right as a big gush of wave crashed against the rocks (and soaked my shoes).  I then realized Larry's only hope of survival was for me to work with the water.  I positioned myself balancing on the slippery rocks so not to give my shoes another soaking, placed the more plush part of the branch next to, but not touching Larry and waited for another big gush of wave to cover him.  I had to wait for what seemed like 5 minutes.  He was getting impatient...starting to flip and squirm (he had some life left in him afterall).  Then finally another wave came crashing in.  I made one quick motion with the branch...Larry rolled a bit, but was successfully taken with the water and though he was slow and weak, he was swimming away. 

Once I was finished cheering our new shark friend on to swim free, I turned to find I had gathered an audience.  I was so focused on what I was doing with Larry that I didn't hear anyone else behind me.  Katie said a couple people gathered to watch, then a couple more and there were a couple of them cheering me on.  She said one older Irish gentlemen made the comment, "Why is she saving him, he'd make a nice lunch."  He followed that up by telling me I've done my good deed for the year!  That if [Larry] didn't make it we'd have a funeral service for him!  He'll make it!  I know he will...or at least I have to believe it!