Cruisin' Video Clips #6 - Snorkeling & Swimming with the Stingrays

[chesterh]

Our sixth in a series of Cruisin’ Video selections is simply entitled Stingray Swim. It documents an excursion to Stingray City at Grand Cayman to snorkel and swim with the rays and assorted other creatures. It was an absolutely amazing experience, not to be missed if you ever find yourself in the neighborhood.

 

The video is 6+ minutes long, and a broadband connection is essential (unless you're willing to tie up your dial-up modem for an hour).

 

Click here for Stingray Swim (6:36, stereo)

 

chesterh

[tennisobo]

Thanks for posting. I have enjoyed several of your videos. I put you book on my Christmas list....hope someone gets it for me!

[melgray13]

What type of camer did you use for this? The pictures are great!

[addictedtothevr6]

looked like a blast. how much did something like that cost?

[OUTOFNY]

Great video looked like lots of fun.

Would someone that is not a good swimmer be able to do an excursion like that?

[hommebronze]

And Music Worked Too...

 

Thank You

 

Ralph From San Diego!!!!!!!!!

[chesterh]

Thanks, Susan (tennisobo). Hope you got everything on your list!

 

melgray13, I used my trusty old Sony TRV-510 Digital 8 camera.

 

addictedtothevr6, the ship's excursion was about $60/pp. Do-it-yourselfers report arranging similar trips for about $40/pp.

 

OUTOFNY - The snorkeling portion of the trip is probably not the best introduction to the sport for first-timers who aren't comfortable in the water. The stingray portion of the trip occurs on a sandbar where you can stand. You might have to swim a few dozen feet from the boat anchorage, but you can do so while wearing a life vest. There are tours available that just go to the stingray's sandbar, skipping the snorkeling altogether - this might be the best bet.

 

Thanks, Ralph (hommebronze). It's a lot of fun putting these videos together - very engrossing hobby...

 

Other videos in the series:

Cruisin' Video Clips #1 -- Leaving San Juan at Night

Cruisin' Video Clips #2 -- Young Men in Black (Teens in Tuxes)

Cruisin' Video Clips #3 -- Under the Baltimore Bridges

Cruisin' Video Clips #4 - Irish Coffee, On Fire

Cruisin' Video Clips #5 - A Little Levity (excessive happiness)

 

All the best,

chesterh

[ILUVCRUZEN]

What do you enclose you camcorder in to be able to video under water?

 

 

melgray13, I used my trusty old Sony TRV-510 Digital 8 camera.

 

[chesterh]

ILUVCRUZEN

 

Waterproof camera bags (good for 12'-15' depth) can be purchased for less than $120 (click for an example), and work pretty well. If you're handy, you can even make your own (click here for instructions). I bought mine many years ago on eBay for about $60, as I recall.

 

All the best,

chesterh

[TheVegasMan]

I made a housing for my video camera out of an acrylic pipe and acrylic plate for the ends. The seals were made from a motorcycle tube. I was able to go to depths of over 100' with it. Main drawback to my design was there was no way to operate the controls. I would turn the camera on, load it into the housing and it recorded every minute of the dive. Editing was done after the dive was over.

 

I gave the housing to the dive shop in Aruba when I left.

 

Version #2 included a push button that allowed me to start and pause the camera, problem was this version leaked and damaged my camera.

 

Version #3 will be tested in the waters off Playa Del Carmen Mexico in April. First dives will be with no camera in the housing. When it is deemed "Seaworthy" I will be offering them on Ebay.