Please Don't Mishandle the Sealife!

[KathyV]

https://www.facebook.com/DOECayman/photos/pb.114750391873103.-2207520000../3046127435402036/?type=3&theater

My advice is to stay away from Stingray Sandbar when it is crazy busy with boats and cruisers.

I prefer to go to Stingray City to dive or snorkel with the rays - and go early before the hordes arrive.
It can be a wonderful experience.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I wonder if Bindi Irwin would agree.

 

[KathyV]

I wonder if Bindi Irwin would agree.

Of course not, and I was being ironic, but her father did enjoy taking chances and teasing the wildlife as evidenced in the infamous video below, so it was sad but it wasn't really a surprise when his luck ran out - and the ray was only acting in self-defense.

My apologies if I caused any offense, thank you for bringing it to my attention. I have asked the Mods to change the title of this thread.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I took no offense. I mean, Irwin did the exact opposite of what we are taught and live by as divers. But yeah someone might get a little bent out of shape.

That whole situation was kind of like when the Brooklyn Zoo polar bear ate the kid who entered its cage and taunted it. Its called natural selection.

And that situation totally pissed me off because my friends and I used to get really high and listen to the elephants and lions have conversations at 2am. Sigh.

 

[KathyV]

I took no offense. I mean, Irwin did the exact opposite of what we are taught and live by as divers. But yeah someone might get a little bent out of shape.

That whole situation was kind of like when the Brooklyn Zoo polar bear ate the kid who entered its cage and taunted it. Its called natural selection.

And that situation totally pissed me off because my friends and I used to get really high and listen to the elephants and lions have conversations at 2am. Sigh.

It's awful that the poor little boy entered the bear pen on a dare and died such a horrible death, but I am sorry that the 2 polar bears were shot and killed because they were just doing what bears do.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

There was a great Gary Larson cartoon after that happened that never got published. Basically along the lines of, "What wouldn't you do for a Klondike Bar".

 

[Diver below 83]

The sandbar is always a **** show and over crowded

 

[jgttrey]

Meh. Many folks are not comfortable snorkeling. I've been to both, many times, with little kids, grandparents and folks that get seasick snorkeling. Stingray City was a not always a good option for the group because of that, but they had fun at the Sandbar.

I agree that it is a goat rope when it is crowded and the big gaudy boats show up and vomit out 200 passengers, but you can schedule around that. The port authority website will give you the cruise ship schedule. Just pick a day with no ships, or only one, and/or go early. Red Sail runs a "Breakfast with the Rays" that usually beats the cattle boat of cruisers by 30 minutes or so, or you can charter and beat them out there by a mile and have plenty of space. About the time the big boats show up, you can be heading off to snorkel or go to Starfish Point or whatever.

Yes, be respectful of the wildlife but that's a different issue.

 

[Saboteur]

I go to Stingray city sandbar almost every trip to GC. I like it and my partner, a non-diver loves it. We always use a very small operator with a small boat, usually 8-10 passengers. The guide LOVES these creatures and shares his knowledge and you can tell he loves doing it. He’s been the guide on every trip we’ve taken. We usually try to go on days when there are no cruise ships in. On our last trip down though with all the diving, new guests with us we had to bite the bullet and go when a couple of ships were in town. What frickin’ circus shite show... never again. It was just a giant party to those big ops with footballs being tossed around, music blaring and hundreds of people there. Some of the boats going to and from are LOADED with people, sometimes listing as the cattle are unevenly distributed. Some look like refugee boats.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

https://www.facebook.com/DOECayman/photos/pb.114750391873103.-2207520000../3046127435402036/?type=3&theater

My advice is to stay away from Stingray Sandbar when it is crazy busy with boats and cruisers.

I prefer to go to Stingray City to dive or snorkel with the rays - and go early before the hordes arrive.
It can be a wonderful experience.

View attachment 553427

View attachment 553428

That whole scene disgusts me. They are known for feeding them things the rays do not normally eat which changes their behavior. Also, the handling of any marine life really irks me.

I wonder what they would think if someone grabbed their backside? Would they get mad? Well, "I was just curious and wanted the experience." Humans do enough harm to marine life as it is.