Pacific Electric Ray

[Zach The Diver]

I bumped into this Pacific Electric Ray at Sund Rock day before yesterday, which was pretty exciting considering this is only the second one I've encountered in the Salish Sea area and the first one I've seen in Hood Canal. I've met a few people, however, who seem to have bumped into them a few times.

Are these a rare find in the Pacific Northwest? Or frequent enough to simply be considered "uncommon"?

 

[g2]

I've never seen one here, that would be exciting!

When you say 'bumped into' it, I hope you don't mean literally. An electrifying encounter.

 

[Boarderguy]

It isn't real unless you have video of touching it with bare skin... awesome find btw!

 

[Zach The Diver]

I've never seen one here, that would be exciting!

When you say 'bumped into' it, I hope you don't mean literally. An electrifying encounter.

That would not have been a good day! We definitely kept our distance. There's anecdotes of them charging divers (in both the "physical" and "shocking" sense) that get too close.

 

[Zach The Diver]

It isn't real unless you have video of touching it with bare skin... awesome find btw!

That would be a shocking experience indeed.

 

[Pressurehead]

Is it like this ray?

Hypnos monopterygius

Coffin Ray

fishesofaustralia.net.au

I was 'zapped' in Sydney Harbour some years ago, not nice.

 

[g2]

What I find, uh, alarming (?) is that I had no idea these rays were around Puget Sound. I wonder what other dangerous creatures are out there that have escaped me...

Note to self:
1. Don't touch the electric rays.
2. Don't ever let the lion's mane jellyfish tentacles touch you again.
3. Avoid nesting ling cod.
4. Do not stick finger in GPO mouth.
5. If you see a Humboldt squid, sell the scuba gear and take up something safer, like base jumping.
...

 

[nwbrewer]

I saw one once probably around 2004, at sunnyside beach. Very cool!

 

[Boarderguy]

Now I have one more thing to elude me forever.

1) 6 gill (they don't exist, you're all liars)
2) Pacific electric ray (you're not yet all liars, but time will tell)

 

[Zach The Diver]

I saw one once probably around 2004, at sunnyside beach. Very cool!

The first one I've ever seen was at Sunnyside on an early morning dive!