ScubaSeanMaui
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Hey Phil, how tall are you? 
Pacific Electric Ray?
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jreitz1
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I can also vouch for the fact that neoprene does not stop the electricity from getting you. On my 20th dive I was with a buddy at Crain Pt. on Catalina when I found myself swimming right up behind a small one (1ft x 2-3ft long). It stopped, turned, and stood up on its tail. It then came right at my buddy and I, splitting us apart. When it went between us I brushed the wingtip and got a buzz. It was pretty good, where I had to shake my hand out, but otherwise no problems. We were 90fsw when it happened, so that could have also caused trouble had it given me more juice. About 10mins later in the dive we found a large ray (3ft x 6ft long) laying on the bottom resting. I think it could tell he had full control if he wanted it and luckly was not in the mood to play, as my buddy and I lay on the bottom and brushed the sand off it some, then went on our way.
At the time when this happened I had no clue there was even such an animal. I was trying to figure out the whole time if the shock I got was from the ray or more a buzz of adrenaline from touching such a beautiful animal for the 1st time. I did a lot of research when I got home to learn more about just what it was that I had encountered. Torpedo Californica is now my favorite fish.
I have also heard of differing amounts of voltage being given off, but that could also be that the rays are able to control how much juice they use, since they have to take the time to recharge what they use. For the Pacific version I have heard from multiple sources of researchers using 500w light bulbs that the rays would light-up and blow-up the bulbs from giving so much juice. I also found an article, that I now carry in my logbook, about a film crew out in the channel islands that were filming some Torpedo rays when one of them finally had enough and went after the cameraman. When he was done the strobe would no longer light. To compare the Pacific version to others I have read that the Atlantic ray can do 220Volts at 20Amps. I believe I remember reading that there are about 14+ varieties of torpedo rays around the world. Also, the rays were used by romans in the old days as a means of shock therapy.
Have I learned my lesson?? Yes, I now know to watch getting too close to things, but I do still want to see another Torpedo Ray again, since doing all my research, to get a better look at them and remember how beautiful they really are.
Jeff Reitz :14:
jreitz1@aol.com
At the time when this happened I had no clue there was even such an animal. I was trying to figure out the whole time if the shock I got was from the ray or more a buzz of adrenaline from touching such a beautiful animal for the 1st time. I did a lot of research when I got home to learn more about just what it was that I had encountered. Torpedo Californica is now my favorite fish.
I have also heard of differing amounts of voltage being given off, but that could also be that the rays are able to control how much juice they use, since they have to take the time to recharge what they use. For the Pacific version I have heard from multiple sources of researchers using 500w light bulbs that the rays would light-up and blow-up the bulbs from giving so much juice. I also found an article, that I now carry in my logbook, about a film crew out in the channel islands that were filming some Torpedo rays when one of them finally had enough and went after the cameraman. When he was done the strobe would no longer light. To compare the Pacific version to others I have read that the Atlantic ray can do 220Volts at 20Amps. I believe I remember reading that there are about 14+ varieties of torpedo rays around the world. Also, the rays were used by romans in the old days as a means of shock therapy.
Have I learned my lesson?? Yes, I now know to watch getting too close to things, but I do still want to see another Torpedo Ray again, since doing all my research, to get a better look at them and remember how beautiful they really are.
Jeff Reitz :14:
jreitz1@aol.com
OP
wetrat
Contributor
Cool story Jeff. Thank you for sharing!
John
John
PhotoTJ
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On one of the Survivors, (Pearl Islands, I think), Rupert caught a torpedo ray, and he and one of the other guys kept getting zapped by it.
BLT
Registered
My only Torpedo Ray experience was on the deck of a research trawler. We trawled one up and had to dump the net on the deck. I was helping to carry the catch over to where the biologists were looking at it. I picked up the ray, one hand on each wing, and was carrying it across the deck (luckily with rubber gloves and rubber boots). One scientist took one look at me and told me to put it down. It kinda reminded me of a cop with a perp... "put that down and back away slowly!"
It didn't zap me, either due to the gloves and boots or it may have just been discharged after fighting the net on the way up. Either way, this Michigan raised boy learned something that day! The scientists later told me about watching a metal table covered a foot deep in fish that would jump 6 inches high -- in unison. It turned out that a torpedo ray was under all the fish and each time he zapped the table it made all the fish "jump"
It didn't zap me, either due to the gloves and boots or it may have just been discharged after fighting the net on the way up. Either way, this Michigan raised boy learned something that day! The scientists later told me about watching a metal table covered a foot deep in fish that would jump 6 inches high -- in unison. It turned out that a torpedo ray was under all the fish and each time he zapped the table it made all the fish "jump"
saf_25
Contributor
I saw one last month at Farnsworth Banks. It was beautiful, swimming through the water column out in the blue. The only pic I got of it didn't come out very well, but I luckily have the memory clear.
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wetrat
Contributor
Thanks for sharing your cool stories BLT and saf_25. Strange how I never was told about the torpedo ray in my OW class! Seems like I would have mentioned that one if I were the instrutor.
John
John
scubapro5
Contributor
Ok OK laugh all you want I to tried to pet one and learned the hard way what it was and will never forget LOL
I saw one while diving last night in Redondo Canyon at 130ft,it was just cruising by slow.
A few years ago I saw a huge Torpedo ray eat a 3lb sand bass.
I had a friend that was bringing up a lost anchor in a night dive and with his bc full of air he accended into one and got zapped. Due to his upward momentum from his bc he ran into it a 2nd time and he said he saw lightning and almost blacked out.(true story)
I saw one while diving last night in Redondo Canyon at 130ft,it was just cruising by slow.
A few years ago I saw a huge Torpedo ray eat a 3lb sand bass.
I had a friend that was bringing up a lost anchor in a night dive and with his bc full of air he accended into one and got zapped. Due to his upward momentum from his bc he ran into it a 2nd time and he said he saw lightning and almost blacked out.(true story)
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