In 1957-58 when we lived in Taiwan, we made a couple of day trips over to Yilan district on the northeast side of the Island to swim at the beautiful black sand Waiao Beach.
At that time there was absolutely no development anywhere near it except a small fishing village a quarter mile down the beach from our “day camp”.
Anyway, Trink Van Sickle & I were walking about 10’ apart along in waist deep water maybe 10 yards parallel to the beach when I stepped into a deep hole that was over my head. I went down far enough where it was disorienting, and then my foot scraped against something sharp like a board or a big seashell. Scared the shit outta me, and Trink said it looked like I shot out of the water like a rocket. She didn’t step any deeper than her waist (no pics).
Ever since then in all the trips I’ve made to the beaches at SPI, Padre, and the Bahamas, I have never stepped past knee deep in the water.
That Taiwan beach today…