Is Sting Ray City in Grand Cayman really worth it?

[Damselfish]

It seems that the diving in Little Cayman is much better than the diving in Grand Cayman. So, I wasn't sure if I should dive in Grand Cayman. However, I must deduct from the replies above that I should stay in Grand Cayman at least one day to dive in Sting Ray City. Right?

as far as the diving in LC being better than GC, it really depends where you dive on GC. If you were to compare LC against the West wall of GC, I'd definitely pick LC. But other areas of GC, in particular the East End of GC, offer diving I'd consider as good or better. So it's not as simple as comparing all of GC with all of LC.

Stingray City is a unique dive, I'd say worth doing once. If you're staying on GC anyway and haven't done it yet, definitely do it. But if you have just a week, and are basically doing a trip to Little Cayman, I would not go out of my way to do Stingray City. It's fun but IMO not worth the extra hassle and the day of dive time you'd probably wind up losing on LC. (Most people go to Little Cayman and don't especially want to leave that soon.) Now if you could spend at least 9-10 nights, and could do a weekish on LC and 3 nights on GC, that would be more worthwhile. Then you could do Stingray City as well as a few days of some of the better diving on Grand Cayman.

 

[Altitude2010]

If you're staying on GC anyway and haven't done it yet, definitely do it. But if you have just a week, and are basically doing a trip to Little Cayman, I would not go out of my way to do Stingray City. It's fun but IMO not worth the extra hassle and the day of dive time you'd probably wind up losing on LC. (Most people go to Little Cayman and don't especially want to leave that soon.) Now if you could spend at least 9-10 nights, and could do a weekish on LC and 3 nights on GC, that would be more worthwhile. Then you could do Stingray City as well as a few days of some of the better diving on Grand Cayman.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I will spend 8 nights on the Cayman Islands. I think it's nice if I spend 3 nights on Grand Cayman and 5 nights on Little Cayman. Then, I can dive 2 days in Grand Cayman and 4 days in Little Cayman. Good schedule, isn't it?

Altitude 2010

 

[growabonsai]

I would not hesitate to do the dive when I was in the neighborhood.

 

[scubasaurus94]

I think it's definitely worth it. At that depth I was able to spend over an hour underwater, and there were plenty of rays and a very large eel.

 

[xjeslesx]

Absolutely worth going! If you have dove with rays you know they are not super friendly and would probably swim away if you go to close.
The rays on this sand bar are use to interacting with people, so they will get up close and personal. If you like to interact with sea life than I recommend you do it.

 

[vladimir]

These zoo-like dives don't appeal to me, particularly this one, since rays are easy to find, but to each his own. If you do go, there is a small risk of being bitten by the eels. From Undercurrent.org:

None of the company’s tour participants — some 600 per day — has ever suffered “any serious injuries,” he said. “They have the odd sting now and again.”

But, there are injuries. Last year an 11-year-old boy was bitten by an eel at Sting Ray City. During a six-hour surgical procedure on Grand Cayman, doctors used a vein from his leg to help restore blood flow to his hand, then the boy was air evacuated (the flight cost was $21,000) home to Wisconsin for further surgery.

 

[scubacat1]

IMHO, dot the dive. It is a great experience. However, just like the Blue Hole in Belize, I got my dive patch and T-shirt, and have not done either again.

 

[mike_s]

This is the snorkel (at Sandbar nearby):

]

I've seen it with a LOT more snorkelers than that. They cattle boat them in now.

I mean check out how many boats they have out there on this pic on Google Maps.

Google Maps

 

[deeper thoughts]

Yes.Dove it, bought the tee shirt and no need to do it again

 

[Altitude2010]

Ambassador Divers says: "We have had trouble with the Yellow Tail Snappers on the SRC [Stingray City] dive, they have become very aggressive and have bitten a number of our guests recently".

What do you think about that?