Stingray City - Snorkel vs. SCUBA / different sites?

[caydiver]

I have done both dozens of times. The Sandbar (must admit I didn’t know it was artificial—there are lots of super shallow areas and the rays are attracted by the boats which equal food to them) is a much more user friendly experience for those with limited or no snorkel slills. My favorite time to go is early in the morning. That said I love the dive site as well but have only been there as a diver and on that level the interaction with the rays is unparalleled. Don’t fret to much about the number of cruise ships. Unless it is crazy busy the ops have it figured out. It is a very different perspective from being in the water than you get from a pano or aerial shot.

 

[Testudo]

I'm not sure what was meant by the Sand Bar being "artificial" comment. Possibly that the rays have been conditioned to respond for food? If so, that's no different than the dive site.

 

[FindingMenno]

I meant 'artificial' as in that the ray behaviour was stimulated there specially for tourists.

As I have been told, the 'original' Stingray City was created 'naturally'. It is close to one of the main channels/cuts in the reef, where in old days fishermen came back into the protected Sound after fishing out on open seas. Being safely back in calm protected water, they anchored up sheltered behind the barrier reef and started cleaning their catch. The guts etc from the catch was thrown overboard, and that started to attract stingrays to that location. Seeing that, at some point divers and snorkelers came to that location to to see the rays.
With the growing popularity of this 'attraction', some entrepeneurs started feeding the rays at the shallow sandbar as that location would be better suited to a wide range of visitors, not just snorkelers and divers.

Of course, I might just have been told some strong fisherman's tales....

 

[Testudo]

I meant 'artificial' as in that the ray behaviour was stimulated there specially for tourists.

As I have been told, the 'original' Stingray City was created 'naturally'. It is close to one of the main channels/cuts in the reef, where in old days fishermen came back into the protected Sound after fishing out on open seas. Being safely back in calm protected water, they anchored up sheltered behind the barrier reef and started cleaning their catch. The guts etc from the catch was thrown overboard, and that started to attract stingrays to that location. Seeing that, at some point divers and snorkelers came to that location to to see the rays.
With the growing popularity of this 'attraction', some entrepeneurs started feeding the rays at the shallow sandbar as that location would be better suited to a wide range of visitors, not just snorkelers and divers.

Of course, I might just have been told some strong fisherman's tales....

Gotcha. I guess either site still had rays being fed to start the process of acclimating them to humans.

 

[EastEndDiver]

The way it has been explained to me,by people who were born and raised on island,is the fisherman would come in and set up in that area to clean the days catch which attracted the rays so it seems that both sites have artificial beginnings.

If you go into Georgetown where the fishermans market is ,across from Dairy Queen,you can see the Tarpon which wait for scraps being tossed in from fish being cleaned I guess this is similar to what took place with the rays.

 

[caydiver]

Yes. I heard the same about the cleaning. Misunderstood what “artificial” referred to. Guess those tarpon have learned the same tricks. At Rackhams they start assembling when they ring the dinner bell.

 

[FindingMenno]

Yes, in that sense both Stingray City's show animal behaviour influenced by man. In the 'original' Stingray City it was however not the goal to attract Stingrays or change their behaviour, that was just a side-effect of fishermen cleaning the catch there. At the 'Sandbar' it however was done to attract the rays for tourist purposes, so that to me is more of an 'artficial' site.

 

[caydiver]

Totally get it. Its the same in places like Lizard Island -- no shore diving in front of the resort especially at night during and just after a fishing tournament. The sharks actually follow the boats in waiting for what goes overboard! Usually a month or so after the event they give up and go to other spots to hunt for dinner