Morning Stingray City Dive?

[reddi]

We are hoping to arrange a morning S.R. City dive. The ship's dive is in the p.m. and ends just prior to the last tender. Concerns me that the weather could turn or choppiness prohibits the p.m. dive and we waste the day in G.C. Contacted Neptune Divers and they don't do it. They suggested trying Off the Wall. I e-mailed them but no response. Does anyone have a recommendation? Thanks!

[mere08]

http://grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/StingrayCityScubaDiving.htm

 

We booked our stingray city dive excursion through the above link. The cost is $60 and transportation is included. The trip starts at 9:30am.

 

Hope this helps!

[reddi]

Thanks mere08! I will check with them. Who exactly is the dive operator? Did you already go/have a good experience? Or booked on an upcoming trip? thx

[weechloe]

We've used Sotos Cruises twice for Stingray City. They have a web site. They pick you up near the pier and you have two snorkel excursions and Stingray City. It's a small group of about 30 and there is a morning and afternoon tour. It was the highlight of our trip.

[reddi]

Wendy, I think you are talking about a snorkeling trip and we are looking to do a scuba diving trip to Stingray City, in the morning. Correct me if I'm wrong. Mere08, I sent an e-mail yesterday through the site you suggested and no response yet. Still not having much luck so far, if anyone else has a suggestion. Thx!

[mere08]

We are booked for our trip next week. It took about 24 hours for me to get a response, also. The dive company is Off the Wall Divers.

[JMikeC]

Unless you like to dive in 10 feet of water, I would suggest doing Stingray City off a snorkel boat.

[captainron]

I concur,

...but even 10 feet of water is pushing your luck.

 

When you get off the snorkel boat you are only up to your waist to chest (3-4 feet) in the warmest, clearest, bluest water you've ever been in in your life.

 

On the sandbar is the only place you want to be, so that when they bring out the fresh squid from the boats, the girls come a running and you'll have them come up in front of you , do a tail dance and suck the fresh squid out of your hand.

 

Most of the 200+ rays on the reef are female (3-4 ft across) with only a handful of smaller males (2 feet) there to propagate the species (lucky sods). When on the reef, you can swim belly to belly with them, let them ride on our back, stroke and pet them, pick them up and let them kiss you, and even with instruction kiss their stinger.

 

These are the most beautiful and gentle creatures the Creator has ever put on this planet. Don't waste your money on a dive at Stingray City when you can have more fun snorkelling with them. I've been a certified diver for 33 yrs and would never use tanks on the reefs with the girls.

 

OH!!! One point...after you've fed the girls their squid, don't rub your feeding hand on your leg...It's embarassing explaining how you got a Stingray hickey when you go back to the ship. Remember the girls inhale their food by suction ( no teeth) and if the scent of squid is on your leg, well you automatically become the biggest juiciest squid in the ocean, and they suck on your leg thinking it's food (they are very scent sensitive creatures).

 

Enjoy your SNORKEL time with the girls on the reef and cherish the short once in lifetime experience you have with them.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[JLC@SD]

Morning Stingray City Dive?

 

Stingray City at GC is more like a Stingray City Wade.....:)

[bruce-r]

Unless you like to dive in 10 feet of water, I would suggest doing Stingray City off a snorkel boat.

Why would the OP want to scuba dive from a snorkeling boat?

[scubaran]

Hi,

 

I've been to GC many times and have done both the dive and wade at Stingray City. At least before the hurricane in '04, there used to be two places in the bay to see stingrays. The 3-4 ft. wading section (they call it snorkeling because they give you a mask and snorkel to look at the fish underwater, but no fins) and a 30ft. area for diving where the rays still come and you can interact with them under the water. The dive then does a second tank on the barrier reef to the bay in 20-30ft (I believe they called it the aquarium). Both were good, if you want to get in some dives on your log book then do the dive, otherwise it's have the fun interacting with other people in the wading section. We had a friend of ours that kept climbing up my back everytime one would come around. I finally had to pick one up and bring it to the surface (the female rays are very friendly with humans and will allow you to cup them under their wings and let you hold them, when they're tired of it, they flap their wings and dive back down) for her to pet it. She was the last one in the boat afterwards because she thought they were so "neat".

 

Randall

[JMikeC]

Why would the OP want to scuba dive from a snorkeling boat?

 

Bruce--I'm suggesting not diving at all in Stingray City. Not worth putting on tanks in water you can stand up in.

[JMikeC]

http://grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/StingrayCityScubaDiving.htm

 

We booked our stingray city dive excursion through the above link. The cost is $60 and transportation is included. The trip starts at 9:30am.

 

Hope this helps!

 

You're getting ripped off. You can book the trip directly with a boat operator for half that.

[jtonra]

There are actually two places in Grand Cayman known as Stingray City. There is the original Stingray City which is in 12 - 15 feet of water and there is the Stingray City Sandbar which is where all the snorkeling excursions go. I've yet to do either but I've heard the original SC dive described as "the best dive you'll ever find in 12 feet of water."