2 Kayaking Trips and a Dog Bite

I've debated for almost a week whether I was going to write this story or not. It looks like I've decided to write. 

 After kayaking in the stream, Josiah could hardly wait to go again. Jeff and Janell had a kayak that we could use and we excitedly loaded it into the van and brought it home. At the first opportunity we took the kayak to a lake in Pocomoke. It takes a bit of getting used to to drive with a kayak blocking my blind spot. (I can see out the back window.)

Josiah loved the lake. The tough part was that whoever was not kayaking didn't really have anything to do. So my next thought was to take the kayak to the bayside of Assateague. The water is shallow--perfect for kayaking and swimming.

So last Thursday we loaded up the kayak again and headed to Assateague. My Mom agreed to come along and bring Renee and Lydia with her. Neither of us had ever been to this particular beach. We got there, claimed a piece of beach and carried the kayak out. The water was knee deep farther than I wanted the children to be out so we set some boundaries and got settled in. Maybe we had been there 15-20 minutes. I don't think it was more than that when a dog came running up to Lydia and Aliza who were at the edge of the water. The dog was not on a leash and no one was immediately there to claim it. Aliza and Lydia were not comfortable. Lydia stood pretty still. Aliza came running to me. The dog followed Aliza. I got between the dog and Aliza. (This all happened very quickly.) The dog continued to growl, jumped and bit me on my ribs just below my bra line. 

I immediately thought I was bleeding and was stunned. I don't know exactly when the owners showed up and how the dog got called back to them. I looked and realized I was not bleeding and then I was overwhelmingly grateful that it was me and not the children or Mom who was bit. In retrospect I was also so grateful that I had decided to put a double layer swimsuit top on that morning. I have mostly just worn a tank top to the beach with shorts, but I thought maybe I would kayak and so put on the bathing suit top. I think that the bathsuit and the tank top protected me enough to keep the skin was breaking.

The owners of the dog were shocked and felt really bad. Of course this dog had *never* bitten before. I told them I forgave them. Mom kept telling them to keep their dog on the leash. And they left. Unfortunately, we did not think to get their information. In the moment, I knew I would not need medical treatment and I did not think any farther than that. 

And then it started to HURT! Like heck. My children still can't believe I said "heck." lol. I got some ice and tried to calm down, without much success. I was really shook up. By then Mom and I were also starting to think of the ramifications of not getting their information. I was crying and trying not to cry so that the children wouldn't be more upset. 

What kind of dog was it? It looked like a bulldog to me. It's body was not one that you would expect to jump as high as it did. Later a witness walked by and she said that the face looked like it had pit bull in it. 

Ultimately, I did go to the ranger station and make a report. It was rather pointless, but I did feel better telling the authorities. I got back to the beach and everyone had eaten lunch and settled in to playing. I still had not settled down. I could not sit still. My fingers were still tingling. It wasn't too much longer before we packed up and headed over to Berlin for ice cream at the Island Creamery. Key Lime Pie ice cream in a waffle cone tasted really good. 

The bruise was purple and pretty painful for a couple days. The teeth marks did develop scabs. I can still see every part of the bruise but it is healing. The scene still plays in my mind vividly, but not as often as the first 24 hours.  

Bottom line is that I'm so grateful that this wasn't worse than it was.