KEY POINTS:
Max Wakefield had not seen a stingray since one pierced his belly in March, but was adamant he felt no fear.
In fact, the 47-year-old father of three was more concerned with the cold than the potentially deadly rays when the Herald enticed him into the water at
the National Aquarium in Napier recently.
"I started to get the shivers towards the end because the old bloody things weren't doing what they were supposed to," he said.
Mr Wakefield, a lifelong diver, had taken no dives with his tanks since he was stabbed by the 1m ray, but agreed to dive and be photographed with the creatures at the aquarium, and said the experience was "really good".
The only stingrays he was scared of were the ones he could not see, and he viewed his encounter with the barb on March 22 philosophically.
"It's just one of those things really - just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Mr Wakefield, who lives in Hastings, was diving with two cousins in southern Hawkes Bay when he inadvertently swam on to the ray, which was hidden in sand and lashed out in fright.
The next day, his photo featured on the front page of the Herald, the wound still bleeding, when he spoke to the paper about his ordeal.
The barb pierced the fabric of his weight belt and 14mm wetsuit, plunging 55mm into his belly and narrowly missing his intestines. He said the pain was like someone had put a knife in his belly and he thought he was going to die.
The self-employed flooring contractor spent the next six weeks off work, as the pain made any movement difficult.
But, in his understated way, Mr Wakefield said he was just "a bit uneasy" and now considered the incident "a bit of a blessing", adding: "I got to spend a bit more time with my family."
He is looking forward to getting back in the water and enjoying more dives this summer, and apart from the scar on his belly, the only long-lasting effect of his March encounter has been the nicknames.
He has been called "Stingray", "Sunblock" and, according to his wife, Debbie, a cheeky young relative yelled out "Hi, Corvette" (as in Corvette Stingray) at a recent family gathering.
"They all cracked up, thought that was a good 'un. He still gets it all the time," she said.
Mrs Wakefield does not dive - "I'm not fond of the sea at all, too many Jaws movies." - and is nervous about her husband returning to the sport.
"I would be happy if he didn't get back in the water again, but that's just me, silly wee wifey's point of view."
For the family, the encounter with the stingray was a close call not easily forgotten.
"We do thank our lucky stars and often say, 'Life's good for us' and we enjoy it," Mrs Wakefield said.
