Stingray Stings?

[bobkatevan]

This may be a crazy question, but I honestly don't know the answer. Has anyone heard of anyone getting stung by the stingrays? I think of the poor guy on TV, Steve Irwin, who was stung right in the chest, and it makes me a bit nervous about swimming among hundreds of them. Just curious if anyone knows this information...

[capncarp]

check out this thread and search "stingray" in Cayman Islands

how safe are the stingrays???

[Fourseventeen]

different type of stingrays. Plus these rays are use to be around people in the water. they come to this area because of us "tourists" and the fisherman who feed them. Being stung by a ray SUCKS! but its not something that would normall kill or even seriously injure sometime. I hear the amount of folks that have been stung in stingray city is VERY VERY low. Just watch where you step and you will be fine.

[drew sailbum]

You are MUCH more likely to be injured in a traffic accident on the way to catch the boat for a stingray tour than you are to actually be injured by a stingray sting.

 

I have heard estimates of about 2 million visitors per year to the stingrays (though it is probably down from that now). There are about 5 or so stingray stings reported each year.

[bruce-r]

You are MUCH more likely to be injured in a traffic accident on the way to catch the boat for a stingray tour than you are to actually be injured by a stingray sting.

 

I have heard estimates of about 2 million visitors per year to the stingrays (though it is probably down from that now). There are about 5 or so stingray stings reported each year.

 

Aren't those stings the result of people actually stepping on the ray?

[capncarp]

Aren't those stings the result of people actually stepping on the ray?

 

That's what our guides told us--shuffle, don't step. No watershoes or flippers--they make unknowingly stepping on a 'ray too easy. Don't worry, you won't have to shuffle far--the 'rays'll come to you!:)

[MDSue]

At the sandbar, the water is so clear and very shallow [maybe 3ft deep or so] that it would be almost impossible to step on one. They are swimming around and your feet are on the ground. If you just watch your step, it is very easy to avoid them.

I was very nervous about this excursion myself until I actually went this year. These creatures are very friendly and seem to enjoy their human friends [or the food they bring]. This was a great excursion!

[DJ56]

I just went to stingray city a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to go to see them...not actually get into the water with them. Well once we got out there I took pictures and videos on my camera and just watched everyone interact with the stingrays. The next thing I knew I was climbing down the ladder and into the water I went! Yes I was a bit nervous when the first stingray came my way. I just stood still and it swam around my feet and went on its way looking for someone to feed it. I did stay away from the food bucket!! Yes I got up close and touched a couple of them. Yes it was wonderful and I am glad that I did get into the water with them. A truly amazing place to go to. I booked through stingraysailing.com and they take out a smaller group of people at a time and they were very informative on how to walk (shuffle your feet) and how to feed them. I would highly recommend stingraysailing.com.

[capncarp]

I just went to stingray city a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to go to see them...not actually get into the water with them. Well once we got out there I took pictures and videos on my camera and just watched everyone interact with the stingrays. The next thing I knew I was climbing down the ladder and into the water I went! Yes I was a bit nervous when the first stingray came my way. I just stood still and it swam around my feet and went on its way looking for someone to feed it. I did stay away from the food bucket!! Yes I got up close and touched a couple of them. Yes it was wonderful and I am glad that I did get into the water with them. A truly amazing place to go to. I booked through stingraysailing.com and they take out a smaller group of people at a time and they were very informative on how to walk (shuffle your feet) and how to feed them. I would highly recommend stingraysailing.com.

 

DJ56, your story echoes many others who have come merely to watch and are drawn into contact despite considerable fear. And the result is much the same--they are eminently glad they did! Congratulations on your courage and on your pleasant experience as a result of managing your fears.

 

BTW, can you upload your photos here and your videos to Youtube and give us a link? That would be great!

[CaribQween]

This may be a crazy question, but I honestly don't know the answer. Has anyone heard of anyone getting stung by the stingrays? I think of the poor guy on TV, Steve Irwin, who was stung right in the chest, and it makes me a bit nervous about swimming among hundreds of them. Just curious if anyone knows this information...

 

It's not a crazy question at all. I was stung by a stingray about 15 years ago. We were swimming at the public beach at Coronado Island. I was about waist deep. I must have stepped on it because it was on the bottom of my foot as I stepped down. It felt like I had stepped on broken glass or something. I immediately went down into the water. A lifeguard was there at the water's edge within a minute. They took me to their station and soaked my foot in warm water. They had to wait to see if there was a reaction, which there was. My father had to take me to the emergency room at the local hospital. My foot swelled up like a football and they gave me a shot of Novacaine in it. It was pretty bad for a week or so. I had to use crutches the whole time. The emergency room personnel said it is very common and they get numerous cases every day. The lifeguards told me exactly what you've already been told. The stingrays burrow themselves down under the top of the sand. If you don't shuffle your feet and you step on one, you will get stung. They said they always warn people that you should wear watershoes in the ocean.

 

Now, with all of that said, we have a cruise planned for February on the Canival Legend to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. And one of the things I'm looking forward to most is visiting Stingray City. I have every intention of getting in the water and interacting with them and feeding them and even kissing them. I just don't plan on stepping on them :). Seriously, I firmly believe that the stingray that stung me was only protecting itself because it was provoked (by me stepping on it). Steve Irwin's death was a terrible thing, but it was just a coincidence that he was stung in the worst possible spot. I thinking swimming with them will be one of the highlights of a lifetime and I wouldn't miss it just because of what happened to me previously. It would be different if there was a huge chance of it happening, but there isn't.

[Jay B]

My wife and I have both stepped on and been hit by stingrays off the coast of Puerto Vallarta Mexico. The pain was very intense and regardless of how safe they are in Grand Cayman, we have no desire to be near them again.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I would say the stingrays in GC are semi-domestic. Very tolerant of humans. I don't recommend it, but I even accidentally stepped on one at Stingray City. I think we both freaked a little bit, but no harm, no foul, and certainly no sting.

 

In the wild, they are less tolerant, but also less attracted to humans. At stingray City, they want the free food.

[CaribQween]

My wife and I have both stepped on and been hit by stingrays off the coast of Puerto Vallarta Mexico. The pain was very intense and regardless of how safe they are in Grand Cayman, we have no desire to be near them again.

 

Well, let's put it this way, I'll have watershoes on when I go in and I"ll be very, very careful. I've tried explaining the pain to people and there just really isn't any way to do it. It was definitely intense. UGH!!

[bookbabe]

Well, let's put it this way, I'll have watershoes on when I go in and I"ll be very, very careful. I've tried explaining the pain to people and there just really isn't any way to do it. It was definitely intense. UGH!!

 

Unfortunately, watershoes are not allowed at Stingray City. This is for the protection of the stingrays. Your feet are less sensitive if you are wearing watershoes, and you could step on a stingray without knowing it. Sorry.

[CaribQween]

I would say the stingrays in GC are semi-domestic. Very tolerant of humans. I don't recommend it, but I even accidentally stepped on one at Stingray City. I think we both freaked a little bit, but no harm, no foul, and certainly no sting.

 

In the wild, they are less tolerant, but also less attracted to humans. At stingray City, they want the free food.

 

Like I said, it was just a defense mechanism. It didn't attack me or anything. I stepped on him and he gave me his thoughts on it. I don't hold it against him :). It's like a domestic cat, if your 2-year old pulls his tail, the toddler just might get a swipe of the claws. But, you can't blame the poor little guy for it (cat or 2 year-old). He's just saying, "don't do it again, or else". We all have to be put in our place once in awhile :eek:. And frankly, with the stingrays, we're invading their territory, not the other way around. I'm very anxious to swim with them and I wouldn't try to dissuade anyone from doing it. I think my husband is a bit more leary of it than I am.

[CaribQween]

Unfortunately, watershoes are not allowed at Stingray City. This is for the protection of the stingrays. Your feet are less sensitive if you are wearing watershoes, and you could step on a stingray without knowing it. Sorry.

 

That's okay. I'll just shuffle my feet. It doesn't stop me from wanting to do it. I'm too excited about it.

[KULPN]

we live in the Tampa area and stingrays are very numerous in the Gulf. We always do the stingray shuffle, because they scoot along under the sand and you may not see one. DH stepped on one but just lightly, and it swam away. Another of our friends was stung by the barbs and said it hurt like crazy.......these are "wild stingray." I imagine the ones at Stingray City are quite docile.

It doesn't keep us out of the Gulf...

Also, they tend to not like noise or crowds, so the fact they interact with people at Stingray City shows they have acclimated to humans......go and have fun.

[bobkatevan]

I am the originator of this post and just got back last night from our cruise. We did the stingray excursion with no regrets. They felt like wet mushrooms. Water was so clear you always could see where the rays were at. The tour guides grabbed the rays and brought them to you to touch and take pics. We were not allowed to feed them ourselves. We stayed about an hour at the sight. Water was about 3 feet deep and shallow all around the boat area. Very glad we did this. Very cool.:)