Stingray City

[patches12]

I have been searching the archives for Stingray City swims. 2007 is the newest posts I found. Is it still in existance? Did Steve Irwin's death scare people away even though it was a different type of ray?

 

Anyone go on a stingray tour in 2008? Not the all day one...Extreme Circumnavigation. Too expensive and too long.

 

Thanks,

[Antiguan]

stingray city is still going. erwin was killed by a different ray called a Bull Ray which are not in the Caribbean at all, but you are right that it had an impact. You can book it through most of the ships. They collect you from the port and you will take a 30 min drive up to the base where there is a briefing before the 10 minute boat ride up to the place. Then you are in the area for an hour. Hope this info helps.

[bungieantigua]

I have done sting ray city twice now and it is one of my favorite in antigua, we did it the first time just after the steve urwin thing so I was a bit nervous but I can truly say it was amazing. deffinatly do this tour

[Darkwolfe]

Go. Steve Irwin's death was a freak accident. Besides, his ghost would likely come to haunt people if they hide from something because he died doing it.

 

Go, you honor a remarkable man by learning more about what was a major driving force in his life.

[mikepmcm]

Stingray City is a coral reef out to sea where you can swim with tame stingrays, offering a fun and original day out for all the family. The success of the site, and its sister venue in the Grand Cayman Islands, has been huge. However, it must be emphasised that Antigua's Stingray city is man made and the stingrays brought there are from elsewhere, unlike the natural 'city' at Grand Cayman.

[patches12]

So the stingrays in Antigua cannot get out of their area? How sad. I don't think I will go there after all. Thanks for the info.

[Antiguan]

What exactly is natural about the Cayman situation? Hundreds of people on a shallow sandbank feeding rays? hmmm Anyway, in Antigua the rays (southern stigrays) are from that same area where the smaller contrilled groups attend stingray city Antigua. By the way, these fish are found, caught, and eaten all around Antigua and Barbuda and most of the Caribbean. The rays at Stingray City were kept in a penned off area behind the barrier reef area where it was hoped that people wouldn't kill them. That didn't stop people trying and many rays were killed even after the fence was put up. One morning after finding some rays with hooks in their mouths the guys managing the place bult a little shack out there. Each night one of the employees sleeps out there to protect the rays and other animals in the area. Since then the area has been breached by rough waters and the rays swim in and out between feedings. This was all spoken on this forum before at great length. Have a look at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=629559&highlight=stingray+city

[lovetocruise99]

Does anyone know of a tour besides the ship's tours that go to Sting Ray City and maybe stay a little longer. THe ship's tour is a total of 3 hours and by the time you load the bus, drive there, change clothes and get in the water it doesn't leave much time to be with the sting rays. Also is it possible to snorkle there or should we go somewhere else for that?

 

Any locals on the board?