? about Stingray City at Grand Cayman

[Crimson Dive]

Over the years several dive staff have been seriously injured by eel bites.

How dense is the eel population in this area? Not real worried about getting injured, but I hadn't heard about them being at Stingray City. Are they as shy as the ones you find in the reefs or they as active as the stingrays? Just curious. :06:

 

[Drew Sailbum]

How dense is the eel population in this area?

There are a few large green morays which have figured out how to intrude into a SRC dive and get a free lunch. IT is not uncommon for one (sometimes two) to find your group. Sometimes a DM swims off to find one and bring it to the group.

Some dive ops seem to encourage this interaction and I have seen DM's enticing an eel with a food bucket to get it to swim around the group. I won't do it.

These eels have poor eyesight. A couple of them have noticable cataracts too. They hunt by smell, and with everyone handling the squid, it is difficult for the eels to distinguish food from your flesh.

 

[No Fish]

No question, this is a dive, for sure.

1. When you are feeding the rays squid, really tuck it in. I read about eel bites.....let me tell you the yellow tail snappers are everywhere, know the drill and will bite you lightning fast. They are my nemesis.

2. For sure rub a squid chunk(s) on your buddy. Most fun I had since the hogs ate my little brother.

3. Take the advice on weights, go heavy

4. Check the cruise ship schedules, go on the days they are not in port. It makes it a lot more fun. The schedule is posted on the internet.

5. Take a camera. (to capture the priceless moments when the rays decend on your buddy)

 

[Drew Sailbum]

4. Check the cruise ship schedules, go on the days they are not in port.

:lol3: Unfortunately, that is only possible certain times of the year. In the winter, they are here every day for weeks on end. We're just now seeing the arrivals drop off.

Check out the schedule at www.caymanport.com for the time of your trip.

 

[Turtle Gal]

uhh not sure if this is still the case....but when I was interning at Dive Tech last summer, the watersports commision just passed a rule saying that only the operators DM's were allowed to feed the stingrays, the customer divers weren't. Seems like an instructor lost a finger or two from the nasty little eel, not the friendly older one.

Ive been told the story of a female instructor who didn't get her finger out of the way when feeding the EEl at Stingray city,It was to tip of one finger,Needed stitches.Customers are allowed to feed the Stinrays,IMO it is best to let the Dive instructor feed the EEl. Or else he will take a bit of you. Feed the Rays and have fun.Turtle gal

 

[Pamdiv]

Do you know any good Dive ops that make their afternoon dive/dives at the "deeper" Stingray city? And what's up with the jacks? :11:

7 mile watersports makes an early afternoon dive at Stingray Proper on Fridays. They are located at 7 Mile Beach in the 7 Mile Beach Resort and Club. As for those darned Jacks.......they can get quite aggressive when you are feeding the rays and if you're not careful you'll end up with a few nips here and there

 

[Turtle Gal]

Do you know any good Dive ops that make their afternoon dive/dives at the "deeper" Stingray city? And what's up with the jacks? :11:

Dive Tech at either location runs a boat in the afternoon to Stingray city. I can't remember on which days. Have fun.Turtle Gal