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Has anyone Swam with the stingrays at Grand Cayman.? |
Travel Info We are going to Grand Cayman and i am still iffy about doing the stingray excursions. Are they calm . or scary? do they hide in the sand.. Has anyone gotten stung.. I just need to be sure this is something i want to do. IS IT WORTH It Travel Tips Swam with them and it is well worth it! They are very calm. You take a boat out and anchor by a sandbar. The water on the sandbar is about 3-4 feet deep in the middle and a little deeper around the edges. There are 30-50 stingrays swimming around at your ankles up to the surface. A few will bury themselves in the sand but out more around the edges because of all the people walking around the middle part. It's not a problem around the edges as you use the "sandbar shuffle" (don't walk, scuffle your feet along the sand bottom like rubbing them on a carpet when you did that in your socks to shock your little brother). When you do the sandbar shuffle, if one is under the sand you will hit it and it will move. If you're afraid of stepping on one, the best suggestion is to stay with a large group and just keep looking down and you won't step on one (you can easily see the bottom as the water is super, super clear!). I don't think you'll be disappointed and will actually love it if you're not afraid of them. They also give you pieces of squid to hold in your fist and hold down under the water and they swim over your fist and suck the squid out of it (yes, they suck it out and not bite your hand (special note: hold your fist with your thumb within your fingers or your thumb will be sucked into their mouth too but just for a split second and not bite you). It is a little intimidating when you get out there and look down and see them swimming around, but just be trusting that they are not going to hurt you, they are used to people being around and petting them and feeding them. Just don't grab the tail and if you do happen to touch the tail, just make sure you don't squeeze it or hold onto it. Also your boat tour guide will find one that doesn't mind being held (you actually hold your arms out in front of you just under the surface the it swims onto the your arms and sits - you don't actually "hold" it). If you think you won't freak out having them swim all around you and yes, even up behind you between your legs, you'll love it. If you think you'll freak out and not really be scared of them, then you very well might be and it might not be your cup of tea. But if not scared, it is quite an experience and well worth the trip out there. Others Don`t start tormenting them or they will have you, one of them just killed that Australian bloke because he started poking it about. They have got some very nasty poison in that tail sting. His name was Steve Irwin, it was in all the news. I swam with them and sharks in the Dominican. It is perfectly safe, but I was a little nervouse and did not stay in for a long time. my husband loved it but I am glad we did it and I have the pictures to remeber it all by! They would not do these tours if it was not safe. My family and I swam with the stingrays in the Grand Caymans. You will anchor your boat on a sandbar with many other boats. The stingrays that were there were not that big.(2-3ft.) We were able to feed them and actually picked a few up. They were very docile. The trip was really nice. |
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