Something On His Boat
Just as Elijah thought that the day was wrapping up to be a perfect trip, he heard the sounds of water splashing and then a loud thud. The entire boat rocked, and he grabbed onto the railing for balance.
He slowly turned around to see what was going on, and to his horror, something had lept onto the boat. He thought he was safe from the predators of the water while on his boat, but he was wrong.
Elijah Sims
Elijah Sims lived in Dauphin Island, Alabama. He considered himself a family man. He ended up marrying his wife, Ava after they met at a party 15 years ago. A lot of time had passed since then.
Both of them had been through a lot together. Every job promotion, every illness, and most importantly, the birth of their son - Tommy.
Thomas Sims
The happiest day of Elijah’s life was when he welcomed his son into the world. He and Ava named him Thomas, after Elijah’s father. Growing up, they called affectionately called him Tommy.
Tommy was now 13 years old, and living on Dauphin Island meant that there was one tradition that started at an early age, and Elijah welcomed it.
A Family Tradition
Dauphin Island is an island town in Alabama. This meant that there were a lot of fishermen living in the town. Elijah wasn’t a fisherman himself, but he was influenced by the culture there.
In fact, Elijah enjoyed fishing so much that he had even bought the family a boat with a birthday bonus he got from the computer company he worked for. He even got each of them a fishing pole. But he had no idea what danger this would lead to.
The Dauphin Island Fishing Rodeo
There was no wonder fishing was so popular on the island. It was home to the Dauphin Island Fishing Rodeo - the largest fishing tournament in the world. This event attracts thousands of pro-fishermen and spectators.
It was this culture that Elijah and his family were swept up in. The only thing was that they didn’t like the crows, so they normally went fishing when it was quiet. But they had no idea what they would find.
A Quieter Lifestyle
The town was a close-knit community. Most people knew each other and always got into their business. It’s not like Elijah was rude. He just was more introverted than the rest of him.
He knew Ava could spend hours talking to other moms at the grocery store, but he liked to keep to himself. But that would lead to no one knowing about their next fishing trip. One that would end with a lot of danger.
The Waters Of The Alabama Deep Sea
The waters around the Alabama Deep Sea have a lot of biodiversities. It’s one of the major reasons why the tournament has been hosted there since 1929.
But that also means there are a lot of predators in the sea and even close to the land. There’s one apex predator that comes to mind when people living on Dauphin Island think of a worst-case scenario. One that Elijah didn’t have a clue about.
Tiger Sharks
When it comes to sharks, all of them can be dangerous. But there’s one in particular that ranks among the most aggressive in the world. That’s the tiger shark. Out of 111 reported attacks, 39 of them were fatal.
The only shark with a higher record of fatal human attacks is the great white shark. But tiger sharks are relatively common in the Alabama Deep Sea.
A Fishing Trip To Remember
Early one morning, Elijah decided to take his family out on a fishing trip. Tommy had been bugging him all week, and they hadn’t gone in a month. So Elijah thought a Saturday morning would be perfect.
They packed everything they needed for the trip, snacks, bait, and their trusty fishing poles. Elijah hitched up the boat to the back of their trailer, and they were on their way. Unwittingly into danger.
Out On The Lake
After arriving at a launch point, unhitching the boat, and pushing off into the water, they were excited for the day ahead. It was a warm morning, and they were keen to see what they could catch.
But after being on the water for an hour, something happened that caught Elijah completely by surprise.
Something On The Boat
Just as Elijah thought that the day was wrapping up to be a perfect trip, he heard the sounds of water splashing and then a loud thud. The entire boat rocked, and he grabbed onto the railing for balance.
He slowly turned around to see what was going on, and to his horror, something had lept onto the boat. He thought he was safe from the predators of the water while on his boat, but he was wrong.
A Strange Creature
Elijah felt a chill down his spine. His first instinct was to protect his family. He told his wife and child to stand behind him while he assessed the situation. There was definitely an animal on the boat.
Horrible thoughts ran through his head. What could it have been? Could it have been a shark? Then his obligation as the head of the family reminded him to step even closer.
Dark, Glossy Skin
After carefully examining the creature, Elijah saw white spots on dark, glossy skin. But that wasn’t everything. He saw that there were babies too. The animal that had landed on his boat had brought its offspring onboard.
He was still examining it when his wife, Ava, shouted out from behind him, “I know exactly what that is!”
An Eagle Ray
The animal turned out to be a Spotted Eagle Ray. They were common in the water, and one of Ava’s friends had spoken about them in passing while they were at the grocery store. It had jumped out of the water onto the boat for some reason.
With the knowledge that he wasn’t in immediate danger, he could assess the situation and try to help the poor stranded animal.
Saving The Animal
With a careful push, Elijah managed to get the eagle ray off of the boat and into the water. The next thing was to throw the small ones back too. He carefully picked up each one and placed them off the side of the boat.
He watched in satisfaction while the mother ray and its babies swam off into the deeper water. He knew he had done something amazing for another in need.