Stingray City Snorkel Tour in Grand Cayman

[adj2004]

Any advice or tips?

 

Do we need to find a place (locker, etc) to store our belongings, or can we bring things with us (hip pack, waterproof bag, etc)?

 

Should we wear water shoes?

 

Can I wear my contacts, or should I stay in my glasses?

 

Any other things I should know?

 

Thanks in Advance!!

[TxRev]

Our tour was with Captain Marvin and it was a smaller boat with only about 18 in our tour so we could leave our belongings on the boat while we snorkeled. You will be changing from shoes to flippers to snorkel so you don't need water shoes unless you choose to wear them from the ship to the tour. Wear something comfortable in case you wish to shop on the way back to the ship. It is a tender port so you can shop on the pier while you wait for a tender back. I wear glasses but can't with the face mask while snorkeling. Always wondered if people with contacts could use them snorkeling. I know it is easy to get salt water in your eyes while trying to adjust your mask so contacts might be a problem. Don't forget your underwater camera too. Capt. Marvin shoots an underwater video which you can purchase after you are finished with the tour. We did this and have lots of fun with it upon return. He puts Caribbean music in the background and it is well done. Don't forget lots of sunscreen. Have a great time feeding the stingrays!

[nicenelli]

did Sting ray city with 2 kids and had a blast. You do not need water shoes because the sand is very smooth. You can keep your belonging with you on the boat, not everyone is that brave to get in the water. If you are also going to go snorkling don't wear your glasses but if it is just sting rays the water is waist to chest deep and there should not be a problem.. Have fun.

[scsagh]

Can I wear my contacts, or should I stay in my glasses?

 

 

When I had contacts, I always wore them snorkeling. In fact, didn't wear them for several years except when I snorkeled. Now just have glasses and no contacts, so I'll be going without. My vision is still good enough that I'm not restricted for driving, so I'll be fine. The snorkel mask helps magnify a little bit anyway it seems like.

 

Have a great time!

[starketcher]

I dive and I wear contacts. No problem.

[caribbean dreams]

If i remember right, water shoes were not allowed on the sandbar with the stingrays.

~you can leave your belongings on the boat (you will only be a few feet away)

~Do NOT wear any jewelry, you will be told to take it off, the rays are attracted to shiny objects.

The ships excurtion is the most strict about these things, if you go with a private company they may be more relaxed about the earring, shoe thing.

 

[LBB]

Would it be ok to bring a regular camera to leave on the boat? Then I would also bring an underwater....

[Sheffie]

We took our regular camera and left it in our backpack when we were in the water. Yes, you also need to bring at least one underwater camera. We bring one per person. Someone needs to take YOUR picture, too!

 

Have fun with the rays! It is a fabulous experience!

[captainron]

LBB,

OK...your camera will be safe on the boat.

 

Hi Folks,

You will love Stingray City. Ditto on nicenelli and caribbeandreams comments. See additional below.

 

BOAT RIDE

I've done the Stingray City excursion and would go back in a minute.

When you arrive out on the reef you'll generally anchor a little off, so when you get in the water it may be 4-5 ft deep. A short tread water (20-30 feet) in the bath warm clear blue water will land you on top of the reef in 3 ft of water.

 

ENTERING THE WATER

Secret...when you enter the water from the boat, don't jump in feet first. Float in and slowly put your feet down. The girls will only zap you if they're afraid or feel they may be hurt (Yes stingrays have feelings!!!). Once you get your feet on the sandbar, the secret to moving around is what they call the "Stingray Shuffle", so named because you don't lift your feet...you just shuffle around the sand.. This is because the girls will sometimes lie on the bottom in the warm sand. If you shuffle, your feet will go underneath them and she'll get up and swim away on you no bother.

 

GIRLS???

You might wonder why I call them the girls...of the 200+ rays on the bar, over 180 are female. The males are smaller with a width of about 2 feet across whereas the females are about 3-4 feet or twice the size...and they are the lovable ones. The guides from the boat will show you how to handle them and feed them so that you benefit from your short time with these beutiful angels of the ocean.

 

FEEDING

The guides will usually bring out a bucket of squid once everyone is in the water. When they swirl the bucket around, the girls get the scent and in a flash, (less than 45 seconds), you'll have over a hundred of the girls swimming around your feet, underneath you etc and playing with you.

To feed them, you take a squid in your fist with the tail of the squid showing upward and ensure you tuck your thumb around it and into your fist. Slowly wave the squid in front of you, and one of the girls will come over to you and almost stand on her tail to take the squid while fluttering her fins. She will slowly move her mouth (no teeth) up to the squid. Once you feel her start to suck at the squid, release it and she'll swim away knowing who to come back to for more. These are beautiful, gentle, playful and loving creatures. WARNING...as a previous poster has said...don't rub your feeding hand against your body unless you want to go home with a hickey like you got when you were 16 in the back of a '65 Mustang. One of the girls with us did, and 2 days later she said...you wouldn't believe how I tried to explain to my husband how I got this blue mark on my thigh...Mmmmm????? You too could take home a "Stingray Hickey" as a personal souvenir of some loving you got on the sandbar

 

PETTING

The guides will show you also, but if you put out your arms, and have your face at water level, some of the girls will swim straight onto your arms and come up to you, lift the front of their snout and literally kiss you. To the touch, they are soft and velvety (and love being petted), a purplish grey on the back and fronts are light grey to white. If you wish to kiss the stinger, it's simple. Once one of the girls swims up to you, extend your arms and let her swim across so you are supporting her with your forward arm. With the other arm, slowly pet her and slide your hand down her back with the palm of the hand onto the underside of her tail. About a foot+/- from the end of her body, slide your thumb over the stinger and gently cock it up bringing her tail out of the water just a bit. Give it a kiss and let her swim away.

 

PLAYING

The girls love to swim with you. If you can snorkel, don't hesitate to pick one and swim with her. They do get attracted to you if you play and swim with them. I played and fed one girl for 45 minutes. We'd swim together with her on my back, then she'd let me rub her tummy and we'd swim belly to belly.

 

Whatever you do...there is absolutely nothing to be scared of. Yes, they will rub against you and try to swim between your legs. They love the interaction. Take this chance of a lifetime to experience these gentle angels of the ocean, and cherish your experience for the rest of your life.

 

Ciao for now!!!

__________________

Captain Ron :cool:

[LBB]

Thank you so much for all the advice. I can't wait! I definitely want to have my "real" camera with me. It takes such great photos of the vivid colors in the Caribbean. I also have a cheap digital underwater camera and two disposable underwater cameras. I don't want to miss anything!

[adj2004]

Thank you all!! This is definitely great advice...1 week from today, I'll be there!

 

:)

[BoozeCruiser1]

ADJ2004 which line are you on, we will be there in week, also im sorry i know this has been discussed elsewhere on here but couldnt find the arcticle i wanted, who would everyone reccomend for the stingray city, i dont want to go through the ship, fun catamaran would be my choice thanks

[rebeccajo68]

Can you tell me about Moby Dick Tours to Stingray City?