Such pretty little pieces of underwater art. Spray a porcupine with day glo flourescent paint and you have these picturesque spikey balls of photo heaven. Now step on one of these little land mines of art and it becomes a little land mine of pain and death.

My buddy Travis and I shuttled my car to a nearby island, St John, USVI. Headed on over to a remote bay that housed a little sanctuary named Waterlemon Cay. Basically a little island surrounded by some gorgeous reef. Did some snorkeling and some photos (see underwater photo section.) Well, while walking up to the little beach area I was lucky enough to get a chance to step on one of these little artsy land mines. Okay, fall to the ground, feeling oh so much alive, with a "Fuuuu" streaming out of my lips. Walking was as comfortable as stepping on aforementioed porcupine one painful step at a time. After we got home I jumped on the net to see what others might have to say about these little SOB's. The following is an excerpt from edoctors.com.

Sea Urchin Puncture Symptoms


A puncture injury from a sea urchin can often cause severe pain and infection.

Rarely, a victim may experience fatigue, weakness, muscle aches, shock, paralysis, and respiratory failure. Death may occur.

I like that death may occur.

So currently I can check off the severe pain. Looking at my foot two days after I am going to vote some sort of infection. Fatigue, hard to tell since I am plain lazy. Weakness, being called a woosy boy occassionally so possibly. Muscles ache, because of the fatigue/laziness I do get sore from sleeping so much. Shock, paralysis, respitory failure, to be named later I suppose. Death.... Now that would suck. Nothing will put on a damper on a round the world tour as death.

Because of the pain inflicted I am currently developing a pseudo underwater weed/sea urchin wacker. Chop those babies into some nice urchin meat burgers. Cry me a river environmentalists, sea urchins must die.

And for those of you "pee on it people," thats for jelly fish. Plus, peeing on myself or having someone else pee on me is not an option. There is a thing as dying with dignity you know.