Sting Ray question

[eelia74]

We are leaving on the Sunshine this Sunday, Nov 24th and in Grand Cayman we are taking part in a great Kayaking and Snorkeling Excursion. I was reading some recent reviews and people mentioned how much fun they had looking at the fish and they saw 3 string ray. I am very very scared of string ray and did not know we would see them. Crazy question, how is it they do not hurt you? Should I be scared? What do I do if I see one? Thanks so much!

[Mysticks1]

We are leaving on the Sunshine this Sunday, Nov 24th and in Grand Cayman we are taking part in a great Kayaking and Snorkeling Excursion. I was reading some recent reviews and people mentioned how much fun they had looking at the fish and they saw 3 string ray. I am very very scared of string ray and did not know we would see them. Crazy question, how is it they do not hurt you? Should I be scared? What do I do if I see one? Thanks so much!

 

In Grand Cayman we took a jet ski trip out to Stingray City and got in the water with the Stingrays - some of them were very large. The guide brought food and they would eat out of your hands. The guide would pick them up for you to see up close and kiss for good luck. I wouldn't think you wouldn't have any problem at all snorkeling, just ignore them and they should ignore you. If you are snorkeling with a guide that feeds the fish that might attract them so I would stay away from the area where the food is. Tell the guide that you have a fear of them before you start.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Mysticks1

[misguidedangel]

Stingrays are only deadly if you actually come in contact with a wild ray and make contact with it's barb to certain parts of the body. Steve Irwin got a barb to the chest and died from that. The rays in Grand Cayman Stingray City are as tame as domestic dogs or cats. They hear the boats come in and they know that means feeding time! Do what the guides say and nothing will happen. I have done Stingray City several times and even caught a young one that floated by. It sat there happily. Wild ones outside of Stingray City will likely avoid humans and stay near the bottom.

 

It will be a hit or miss when snorkeling. Sometimes all you ever see is the typical tropical fish and on some occasions you can see rays, turtles, and some unusual tropical fish.

[Starlight Durban Cruising]

Are you talking about seeing sting rays on a tour or just out in the open ocean?

 

If on one of the tours I think they are in a controlled environment, and you will likely be told rules beforehand about what to do and what not to do.

If in the open ocean I would say apply caution just as you would with any other wild animal/fish. Most problems happen when people do not use common sense - such as shoving their fingers into crevices underwater and there just happens to be an eel living in there!!!

[wantocruisemore]

Sting ray are extremely gentle, docile creatures. We fed them in Grand cayman at Stingray City. It was incredible. They have gotten some bad press due to Steve Irwin's death.

 

If you see one in the wild, not Stingray City, just ignore it, or marvel at the way it glides through the water, your choice. You are in no danger as long as you do not grab it or attack it.

 

Have a great trip. We love snorkeling.

Edited November 17, 2013 by wantocruisemore

[arush5268d]

We are leaving on the Sunshine this Sunday, Nov 24th and in Grand Cayman we are taking part in a great Kayaking and Snorkeling Excursion. I was reading some recent reviews and people mentioned how much fun they had looking at the fish and they saw 3 string ray. I am very very scared of string ray and did not know we would see them. Crazy question, how is it they do not hurt you? Should I be scared? What do I do if I see one? Thanks so much!

 

How many times have you seen on the news that a tourist was killed by a sting ray? Never? There's a reason for that....they don't attack people!

 

Yes, Steve Irwin died but that man's time had come up a long long time ago.

[firstcruiseever]

Just try to stay calm. They don't attack unless they are provoked. They eat plankton, so they don't bite. Their barb is for defense. So just don't touch them or provoke them. A lot of them are pretty tame though!

[Colorado Kat]

In the ocean while snorkeling, sting-rays will not bother you. They will not let you get very close.

 

The Australian, Steve Irwin, got stung and died because he was harrassing a sting ray, and staying way too close to it while it was trying to escape. Anything for the camera.

 

You will be safe.

 

If you are still nervous, if you see sting rays, just go vertical. Straight up and down, with your head at surface and feet down. Any potential sting would then get your legs, instead of your chest, minimizing any danger.

[wrigley80]

We have swam with the stingrays 4 times in Grand Cayman and we are doing it again next month. We absolutely love it....it never gets old.

And you are completely safe....there is nothing to be scared of

[TEXASMUNK]

Real simple rule...#1 fear not!, #2, if you are in shallow water, shuffle your feet. Rays DO NOT ATTACK! They use the barb on their tail solely for defense. If YOU shuffle your feet and a ray happens to be in front of you...they tend to sit on the bottom....it will move away from you.

 

As the previous poster mentioned, Steve Irwin was harassing the Ray. Then when he got back onboard, his crew pulled the barb out which caused his death...If he had been taken for medical care, they might very well have saved him.

 

WORRY NOT!

[crusinpsychRN]

As a teen I sailed my catamaran on Biscyne Bay every day and saw many stingrays swimming alongside. I snorkled all the time and never saw one then. Don't worry about it, they won't bother you.

 

Funny coming from a poster who's name starts with eel!

 

You'll have a great time!

[luv4u859]

I snorkeled in cozumel and we saw 2 stingrays, but they were pretty far from us and at the ocean floor. I did get a little freaked out at first but the big one was swimming away from us and the little one was just laying there kinda blending in with the ocean floor, I couldn't see it until the guide pointed it out.

 

Have a great time, don't be scared. Snorkeling is so much fun

[thinfool]

Are you talking about seeing sting rays on a tour or just out in the open ocean?

 

If on one of the tours I think they are in a controlled environment, and you will likely be told rules beforehand about what to do and what not to do.

If in the open ocean I would say apply caution just as you would with any other wild animal/fish.

 

Actually Stingray City in Grand Cayman is in the open ocean, although it is inside the barrier reef on that side of the island. There is nothing to control the environment and the stingrays are free to move from boat to tourist-filled boat.

 

The wild, but relatively tame, stingrays interact with visitors who feed, touch and swim with them.

 

This all takes place over a white sand sandbar that allows the visitors to stand in warm tropical sea water that is approximately waist deep (varies with wind and tide).

 

A wonderful experience!

[Homosassa]

The rays will not attack or "sting" you. The barb is midway up the tail. When the ray feels threaten, it will fold itself so that the tail is out and the barb is above its body. The predator who is attacking from the top will then impale itself on the barb and a neurotoxin will be released.

 

To be "barbed," you would either have to step directly on the barb or somehow be hit or hit the barb from on top of the ray.

 

The neurotoxin is heat sensitive and will break down if heat is applied to the injection site.

 

Steve Irwin dies because his cameraman was filming a large ray and Steve Irwin swam over the ray to be in the camera frame to gesture at the camera about the size of the ray. Thinking that Irwin was a predator, the ray folded itself, and as the tail moved up, the barb went between Irwin's ribs and the neurotoxin was injected into the heart.

 

Anyplace else but the heart, and Irwin would be alive today. It was a freak chance that the barb managed to miss the ribs and hit the heart.

[bookbabe]

Dangerous Stingrays? (Bookbabe's standard answer to questions about stingray safety)

 

Stingrays are generally non-aggressive. When threatened, their first reaction is to swim away. This is easy for them to do at Stingray City, since it's just a section of open ocean and the stingrays aren't penned up in any way. They don't just attack you and sting you (although they can be fairly enthusiastic and/or boisterous in their quest for squid chunks). They may sting you by reflex/accident if you step on one. That's why you are not permitted to wear water shoes at Stingray City, and why you are told to shuffle your feet rather than lift them, so that you will not accidententally step on one.

 

There are many, many types of rays. Steve Irwin was stung by a bull ray, a totally different type than the southern rays at Stingray City. It is also suggested that what killed him wasn't the sting itself, but the fact that he was stung in the chest and then pulled out the barb. There is also the issue that the bull ray was a wild ray and unused to people, while the Stingray City southern rays have spent years and years learning that people are not the enemy, they're a ready source of squid snacks.

 

For most stings, which are extremely rare, Wikipedia says that the remedy is usually hot water to dilute the venom plus antibiotics. I don't personally know anyone who has ever been stung, so I just have to trust my research on that part of the issue.

 

From my experience at Stingray City, which is fairly extensive, the usual "injuries" from stingrays involve "hickeys" from the suction of their mouths during a search for squid (say when your DH has stuffed a chunk of squid down your bathing suit for fun) or accidental scrapes from their tails when they swim by you too fast looking for squid and the tail kind of whips against you. These injuries are very minor, though, and are far from life-threatening.

 

You'll notice the common element here is squid. Stingrays at Stingray City are only interested in one thing...the snacks that they know you've brought with you. No squid = no stingray attention at all. They're worse than cats that way. If you aren't giving them treats, they've got very little interest in you. They may swim by, just to double-check for squid, but as soon as they realize you haven't got any, they'll swim away again fairly quickly. If you are at all nervous about them, stay away from the squid and the stingrays will stay away from you.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingrays

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin#Death

 

I've been to Stingray City dozens of times, and never had a problem with the stingrays. (With my DH, sure, but never the rays.) It's very safe as long as you behave with respect and common sense.

[eelia74]

Thank you to everyone! After reading I am ready to take this on and have a great time! Thanks again.