Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter"

I found out this morning that Steve Irwin, “The Crocodile Hunter,” passed away following injury by a stingray’s barb.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/04/australia.irwin/index.html

I don’t know all the details, as likely nobody does yet, but from what I understand it was an absolutely freak incident that no amount of training or expertise could have averted and that could have happened to just about anyone who’s ever swum in coastal waters.

We have stingrays down on the Pamlico River here in North Carolina. I see them every once in a while, but they always scurry away before I can get a close look. I’ve heard of someone getting stung, but in a quarter century down there have never actually seen it happen.

Basically, someone’s just walking along, unable to see the bottom, and accidentally steps on one. The poor critter, just being defensive, shoots up their barb saying, “Hey, don’t step on me.” If you stepped on me and I had a barb, I’d likely do the same. Getting stung’s generally the sort of thing that probably ruins your day, but isn’t all too serious.

One report I read of the incident in Australia stated the ray was buried in the sand, as skittish bottom dwellers are prone to do. I can imagine Irwin just swimming across the sand, as I have, as everybody who’s gone swimming at the beach has, when he unwittingly passes over the land mine and it goes off.

And while I’m not a doctor, I don’t think you can go very far with something punched through your heart, no matter how stong, educated or incredible you are.

He'll be missed.