Sting Ray mishap!

[Roce48]

Don't get scared

 

 

While on an excursion to Sting Ray City were advised that a Sting Ray may latch itself on to us for a brief second thinking that we were food, but just to wait a second, don't freak out, and it would let go. I understood, and had no fear of being with them, or the Barracudas also swimming in the area.

 

 

I fed the Sting Rays, and was watching my wife, although petrified, but being very brave about feeding the rays when a ray latched onto my upper arm. Oh no, I was the one who flinched,and pulled my arm away. That was a big mistake, as it did not leave a hickey, but instead caused a very small horseshoe abrasion. This did not make me panic, but caused me alarm as I was on a medication called Plavix which can cause someone to bleed easier. I looked at my upper arm only to see blood starting to trickle down my arm from the abrasion. Add the water to this, and it looked like a major injury. Some other participants in our group noticed the blood and looked very concerned about their own safety. I started to worry about sharks. Not wanting to scare the children in the group, I headed for the platform to apply pressure to the wound. As people got back to the platform they saw my bleeding arm that I was unable to hide. I told them that I had scratched it on the wood platform, and not to worry.

 

 

Once back on shore I was given a bandage, but I still was not able to stop the minor bleeding even with direct pressure. I had to hold my towel in place for a what seemed very long ride back to the ship. I did have bandages with me in my cabin, but felt I would need more. My wife insisted that I go to the medical area to have them look at the very minor wound. They were closed until the next morning except for emergencies, but I had enough bandages to last me until the next morning.

 

 

When I showed up the next morning to seek an medical evaluation they seemed bothered. One bandage and told to buy some from the dispenser. All the food I can eat, but only one small bandage.

 

 

We got off the ship that morning and headed to a store to buy some good waterproof bandages.

 

 

I still have the scar and a good story!

[tarajean1962]

Yikes!!:eek: I hope you are okay. That was very brave of you to say that you scraped your arm. I'm pretty sure I would have been freaking out!

 

Tara

[lady_cruiser]

Double Yikes :eek::eek:

[mrsdoc3]

Wait a minute. You aren't going to sue the cruise line? And the company that runs the sting ray encounter? And your guide at the sting ray encounter? And the doctor who gave you only one bandage? And the manufacturer of Plavix? You must not be American!

[awhcruiser]

You should have demanded a free cruise.

 

:D

[Trekker954]

I was in stingray city a couple of months ago and I don't recall being warned about them latching onto us. hmmmm They barely seemed interested in any of us. It was hard getting them to eat the squid.

 

Glad you are okay. Sounds scary. I don't think you really needed to worry about sharks in 4 feet of water.

[LBumb]

sorry to hear

[SwimnwFishes]

On my very first cruise, on the very first stop I had a ray latch on to my arm too and it DID leave a very large hickey. Of course, with bare arms for the rest of the week, I got to tell and retell the story a lot.

 

Thing is...I've discovered since then, rays seem to like me. They've swarmed around me in other locations when I've been in the water. It only happens when I wear just a swim suit...but if I wear my dive skin they ignore me. So the lesson for me is never go in the water without the dive skin.

[Doug R.]

On my excursion there the only things the rays were latching onto was the squid strips held carefully with the thumb tucked under the palm.

[OCruisers]

:eek: It would have really scared me!

 

A crew member who had been feeding the stingrays was holding my leg as I was climbing down the ladder into the water. Those stingrays loved me and followed me around like puppies. One attached himself to my inner thigh so I got a rather large hickie. Not fun but NOTHING LIKE YOUR EXPERIENCE!

 

LuLu

~~~~

[PCWalton1]

Those things are too creepy for me, one more reason for me to avoid that excursion. :o

[Doug R.]

Those things are too creepy for me, one more reason for me to avoid that excursion. :o

 

You missed a lot of fun. We had an amazing experience!

[Keith1010]

So sorry to hear about this.

 

Keith

[Capt_BJ]

I don't think you really needed to worry about sharks in 4 feet of water.

 

WOW that statement surprises me coming from a person from South Florida ....

 

you've never seen pictures on huge schools of sharks forming just off shore during spawning season? Shallow water IS feeding grounds and breeding grounds.

 

Now I doubt that many sharks would stumple into the stingray city area just because there is too much activity but shallow water won't keep them out. Actually on my dive trip to Cayman last month the one shark I saw was at Eden Rock/Devils Grotto ... about 20 feet of water.

[John&LaLa]

Don't get scared

 

 

I still have the scar and a good story!

 

i got my scar 10 or 15 years ago and it's as fresh as when new. i call it my shark bite. it actually gets more pronounced when i start to get a tan

[Rottweiler Puppy]

I don't think you really needed to worry about sharks in 4 feet of water.

 

A great number of bites are in shallow water but given the amount of boat traffic and number of people at the sand bar, most sharks stay well away.

[Fourseventeen]

sounds like you got off easy. Last time I was there...my boat left my wife and I behind. We had to be rescued by the Cayman Island Royal Police 3.5 hours later. talk about a story to tell lol. News papers the next day and the evening news in Cayman....yup. :eek:

[JustinPlusLauren]

What a crazy story! I'm glad you're okay! The stingrays were really calm when we visited, just swimming around, and taking squid from people. Nothing like that happened! I'm surprised that the cruise ship made you buy your own band-aids... ugh!

[lovevacadays]

Ouch! Sorry to hear of your experience but at least you have a great attitude about it.:)

[CalaDragonflyLady]

Regarding sharks, my understanding is that most attacks happen with surfers, when sharks have mistaken them for seals. I don't think they normally consider us split-tails (two-legged) as part of their food chain. :eek:

 

Thank you for keeping your composure and not overreacting, in several ways! So many people are afraid of rays because of what happened with Steve Irwin, but that was a complete fluke.

 

I love stingrays, the tame ones at SeaWorld seem to like me even when I don't have food, dunno about the ones in the wild and/or Grand Cayman.

 

I've never gotten a stingray hickie but if I did I would wear it with pride! :D

 

Got this on Maui in 2010 :)