Stingrays, snorkeling questions

[doak]

I wonder if I could get some input on the stingray thing?

 

I am from FL and have seen more than my share of stingrays. Granted, I've never been swimming with any of them. Having said that, is it still worth the trip? Just wondering if I'll be all that impressed, having seen em plenty of times.

 

Also the snorkeling in GC. I've snorkeled in Cozumel and in the Bahamas. Anything spectacular about snorkeling in GC?

[Michael Kays]

Sting Ray City is pretty orchestrated. However, I was impressed by their size and lack of fear around the herds of snorkelers rubbing and fondling them. When the tour guide bangs his knife on the hull of the dive boat all of a sudden you see a shadow coming towards you that can be quite breathtaking. I went over 10 years ago and not sure of the cost. If I was to do it now, I'd hook up myself over the net, and save some money. Most tours you can get oin your own.

[TrqoisWtrs]

I've seen plenty of stingrays too, but the experience in Cayman is worth doing at least once. There is something freaky about standing in that water and having these black shapes swimming all around you, brushing against your legs. And some of them are huge! As to the snorkeling, if its the typical spots, Coral Gardens, etc. its so-so. But I don't think you can find a trip that is just the stingrays. It usually includes two other snorkel stops. We used Capt. Marvins and did the full day trip, which included the stingrays, two snorkel stops and one year we got to dive for conch. We got to keep the shells and they fixed the conch as an appetizer with the lunch they provided. It was really good! But now they have put a time frame on when you can get conch, so don't know when you are going, but its something to keep in mind:

Closed Season - May 1 through October 31

- Catch limit: five per person or ten per boat per day, whichever is less

- No one may purchase or receive more than five conch from Cayman waters per day.

[gacruiser123]

Dear Doak,

 

My DH and I have done the stingrays both times we were in GC. The first was with the ship excursion, it was fasinating, but after having done it with a private tour operator, the ship's excurstion was not so great. Too many people. We used Capt. Bryan's this past time and there were only 5 of us on the catamaran. Our guide avoided the crowded area, and knew the stingrays so well, sounds strange I know, but he knew which one would let us hold her the longest. We have some great shots holding it. He also had fish food during the snorkle stop and coaxed the eels out of hiding for an up close and personal experience. He also gave us the food so the fish would swarm around us. We've snorkeled many places, but we really enjoyed GC.

 

Hope this helps.

[BobbieSu]

The only other time I had seen rays was at Sea World in Orlando. I remember rubbing them and how soft they were. I was anxious to do that again. When you say you've seen them was it in open water? Were you snorkeling? Did you touch them?

 

There are other things to do in Grand Cayman obviously, but nothing quite like having a large sting ray come up on you from behind and knock into you about tipping you over, nothing like being able to feed them and hold them, and let you rub them before they swim away only to come back and push at you like my dog does. We had about 20 swimming around and through our group of 20. We were there for about 1/2 an hour, and never once had a break from the rays. It was an up close and personal encounter. As one of our group said, "they definitely have a personality".

 

I love snorkeling, each place gives me something new to see. I truly felt like I was in an aquarium in GC...It was a better day than than the one before in Cozumel, (though the sun was not shining there). We went to the Barrier reef and saw the shark and eel, and also to the aquarium. For me it was great, for my son (18) it was boring....just depends on what you like.

 

Su