I know that helpless feeling well. Was in a row boat using a single canoe paddle with my then 3 year old daughter and we were cutting through a narrow channel in an area that wasn't familiar to me. It was too narrow to paddle in the water and as I was pushing on the high, steep bank I dropped the oar. As I went to pick it up I was face to face with a rather antsy and nervous moccasin. He was coiled up and just shy of 5 foot long. As I slowly sat up straight I realized the bank was full of them and our presence was making them all very skittish. I figure there were at least a dozen of them. I knew I had to move very slowly, but didn't have time to spit before that fat bastard came off the bank and right in the boat. That set off the rest of them slithering all over like a bunch of Shriners in tiny cars at a parade. I was barefoot, nothing on but a pair of shorts and had no weapon - not even a stick - so I just grabbed my daughter and lifted her above my head. There was nothing else I could do but sit there and wait to get bit while making sure that nothing happened to her. Eventually, the fat bastard calmed down a bit and I got the paddle back. He kept slithering around the boat but at least I had the paddle to keep him away from us. I kept my daughter on my shoulders and slowly got the hell out of there. Once we were clear, I set my daughter on the bank and told her to go tell mommy to bring me the 45 and two extra magazines.
Way off topic I know, but there are times like that when you are completely at someone or something's mercy and there really isn't shit you can do but pray. I hate feeling helpless.