Sting ray injury with foiling

With the 75cm. Mast, have to push the board out a long way stepping over sea grass meadows before being
in deep enough water to launch. I was always apprehensive doing it as visibility was poor due to the board infront
of me. Then it finally happened. I step on something and was stung. Didn't know what it was at first but the pain was incredible . Here's what I've learned.
1. sting ray spike is poisonous with peak symptom ( Pain ) at 30min.
2. It can cause shock and upset your heart with the poison.
3. The only cure is HOT WATER for as long as possible. I put my foot in a bucket and ran hot bath water into it
testing the temperature with my hand so as not to get burned for nearly one hour. It was a miraculous cure.

So, in the future at low tide, I will flip the foil up, lay on the board with foil in front of my head and paddle out to
deeper water dragging the wing with my legs.
No more wading through shallow waters. I hope sharing my foil specific injury will keep you all aware for the danger.

We have long walks out and we have quite a few dinner plates laying around. Only a matter of time.

The hot water denatures the protein. This takes about an hour of having your foot immersed in as hot water that keeps getting refreshed as you can take to get the toxin out. Depends on the size and depth. I had this happen in Wyatt Miller and Tyson Poor's place La Ventana, Baja MX last year. I was just coming ashore after a awesome foiling session. Forgot to stomp/slide feet. The hot water was accompanied by several beers as oral medication (optional). After an hour the pain was gone.

If part of the barb breaks off then medical treatment is required.