Stingrays

[Javajoni]

Was this excursion the one carnival offers?I was looking into it and it seem interesting cause of the wave or rayrunner.

 

Carnival Freedom 2/2009

Carnival Freedom 12/2007

Carnival Liberty 2/2006

 

Yes, through Carnival, at Grand Cayman.

[Javajoni]

Your pics are wonderful!

[TheVegasMan]

Cuizer2,

 

Thanks for the lesson, now all I have to do is upload my pics somewhere. My wife loves www.shutterfly.com I guess I'll have to start using them as well.

 

mdrobtx,

 

Those are NOT nurse sharks. They look like White Tipped Reef sharks. Usually safe unless you do something silly like forgetting to let go of the fish, like this guy:

 

Shark being fed is a Bull Shark.

 

Or you run into one that is a little more territorial like this guy:

 

[Irie]

i've probably done sting ray city a dozen times. i love it personally,

but i'm seen grown men scared half to death.

 

not sure how environmentally good it is for the sting rays .... who knows?

 

but, anyway, it's always fun!!!!

[A&Jfamily]

not sure how environmentally good it is for the sting rays .... who knows?

 

I asked about that. These sting rays are totally wild, and come of their own choice. It started years ago when fishermen used to come here to clean their catch. It was easy food for them

 

The rays seemed to actually like it. The boats/handlers are licensed and monitored through the government, and they are all trained in what to do. The handlers don't "catch" the rays, rather, when one comes up to feed, they give it a good amount, and then scratch its tummy. My handler proved this by lifting his hands for several seconds out of the water, and she (the big ones are the girls) just stayed, waiting for him to rub her belly again.

 

Amazing trip!

[DaveOKC]

We did Stringray City about three years ago and my daughter and I loved it, but my wife jumped into the water, paniced and jumped back into the boat soooooo fast I swear she did not even get wet! When I tried to climb back onto the boat it was a bit difficult, but she had no problem at all getting back in! She reminded me of Superman flying out of the water!

DaveOKC

[tommy2tone_1999]

Funny story:

My BF and I decided to do the Wave Runner/Stingray Adventure at Grand Caymen. I'm not a big fan of under-water creatures but I'm game to try new things and I was looking forward to the Wave Runner . After our fun ride in the Wave Runner and a half hour of snorkeling, we found ourselves waist deep on a sandbar, then I look to my right and here comes this huge stingray gliding towards me. When this thing gets right up to me I find out, to my embarrassment, that this thing totally creeps me out! If I could have climbed up my BF's back I would have but he's 6'4 and 250 lbs so instead, in my panic, I pushed up tight against his back squeezed his love-handles..hard! The surprise and pain caused my BF to let out a blood-curdling howl. This startled everybody, they must have thought it was a replay of the Steve Erwin incident! Needless to say I took off for the Wave Runner as fast as I could go, I jumped so high to get into that boat that I don't think I even touched the side. Our tour guide was awesome though, he came over to me to see if I was OK, then showed up later with a stingray and held it up to the surface so I could see it and touch it. The guide knew that I would find the fish interesting as long as I wasn't in the water with it.

 

Wuss:D

[dobiemom]

I was on the Sea Doo Power Snorkel tour with Princess and was being taken to the snorkeling spot. On the way there we saw sting rays JUMPING out of the water! I never knew they did that. We were told they jump out of the water when something is chasing them. :eek:

[Javajoni]

I was on the Sea Doo Power Snorkel tour with Princess and was being taken to the snorkeling spot. On the way there we saw sting rays JUMPING out of the water! I never knew they did that. We were told they jump out of the water when something is chasing them. :eek:

 

I've been water skiing in the Persian Gulf, it's pretty exciting to see stingrays shoot out of the water up ahead of you. They can get pretty high in the air!

[Cuizer2]

I was on the Sea Doo Power Snorkel tour with Princess and was being taken to the snorkeling spot. On the way there we saw sting rays JUMPING out of the water! I never knew they did that. We were told they jump out of the water when something is chasing them. :eek:

 

I've been water skiing in the Persion Gulf, it's pretty exciting to see stingrays shoot out of the water up ahead of you. They can get pretty high in the air!

 

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/weird-world/Flying-stingray-kills-woman-on.3904256.jp

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23727914/

 

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23411112-1702,00.html

 

http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/03/stingray_kills_michigan_woman.html

[JOJO351969]

I went to stingray city in Sept. and it was amazing!!! I just booked another cruise and guess what...going to stingray city again..this time I am taking my nephew and sister with me. My nephew loved the stingrays at Sea World and this is going to be just great to see him out there with them. I have a question..I was there when it wasn't peak season and we had alot of stingrays paying attention to us now since I will be there this time in peak season is there going to be alot of them around us or is it going to be fewer since there will be more boats around?

[Cuizer2]

I went to stingray city in Sept. and it was amazing!!! I just booked another cruise and guess what...going to stingray city again..this time I am taking my nephew and sister with me. My nephew loved the stingrays at Sea World and this is going to be just great to see him out there with them. I have a question..I was there when it wasn't peak season and we had alot of stingrays paying attention to us now since I will be there this time in peak season is there going to be alot of them around us or is it going to be fewer since there will be more boats around?

 

All the photos I posted are from the summer. Some from August 2004 and some from June 2007.

[cruzkitty]

Those were great pictures! We have been to StingRay City twice and are going back in October, Grand Cayman. I don't actually have the nerve to let one suck a squid from my fingers, but I like to watch DH do it. I did kiss one last time. This is a really awesome experience!

[TheVegasMan]

Jojo,

 

As they hear your boat pull in they will come around, as long as they are being fed they will stick around. When there is no more squid and a new boat pulls up, they will go there. You may not be swamped with them, but there will be plenty of them to go around.

 

TheVegasMan

[jbroons]

What - no pictures???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful pictures...Thanks!!! (Look at that water...I cannot wait!!!)

[jbroons]

we did them jbroons, TWICE!!!

We loved this excursion and it's so reasonable, the carnival one was way more expensive and the boat people were on was HUGE, lots of people = less personalized attention. Nativeway ROCKED!!!! And I'm so afraid of anything that touchs me in water, but the rays were awesome, soft, creatures that really loved people.

And Alex I agree with you, the fact that they are not enclosed is a HUGE plus for me.

We went once when there was 8 other ships in port, so Chris (nativeway guide) took us to the snorkle first then back to the rays when it wasn't so crowded, really careful to make customers happy AND get you back to your ship on time, I give them two thumbs up.

Carole

 

 

Hi Carole -

I am so glad you had such a great time on this excursion!!! That made me even more psyched!! And, you're right, it is so reasonably priced @ $62pp for 5 excellent fun hours!! (One of my daughters is scared to swim with the rays but she'll come around once she sees what's going on around her).

[CKM]

That's is a good story. I have one. We did the stingray thing too because the dolphins were full (my hubby wanted to do the dolphins, me-the stingrays). This was few months before Steve Erwin. We were feeding the rays having a great time with these facinating creatures. The there was no more food. THE RAYS DIDN'T KNOW THAT! :confused: I found myself surrounded by about 15 rays trying to suck and climb up my legs to get food!! My hubby was nowhere to be seen. I got nervous and began to back away, draging my feet like the tour guide told us. The rays dispersed and everything was fine after a few deep breaths. This was one the most enjoyable and meamorabl tours I have ever taken.

 

CKM:p

[Javajoni]

That's is a good story. I have one. We did the stingray thing too because the dolphins were full (my hubby wanted to do the dolphins, me-the stingrays). This was few months before Steve Erwin. We were feeding the rays having a great time with these facinating creatures. The there was no more food. THE RAYS DIDN'T KNOW THAT! :confused: I found myself surrounded by about 15 rays trying to suck and climb up my legs to get food!! My hubby was nowhere to be seen. I got nervous and began to back away, draging my feet like the tour guide told us. The rays dispersed and everything was fine after a few deep breaths. This was one the most enjoyable and meamorabl tours I have ever taken.

 

CKM:p

 

Sucking on you and trying to climb your legs? Yikes!! I'm affraid I would have done the squid thing and expell something into the water! Now, that would have made the rays disperse, and everyone else as well!:D