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Rather than advice, here is some information, collected from several sources, you may wish to consider.  


“Stingray City†is located in Grand Cayman’s North Sound approximately two miles off shore.  North Sound is across the island from George Town, capital of Cayman Islands and the cruise ship port.  Stingray City is a sand bar the size of a football field where over the years the island’s fishermen cleaned their daily catch and in so doing attracted and fed the area’s rays, predominately Southern Stingrays.  


Unless you leave for Stingray City directly from your ship you will first be transported by tender to George Town.  Grand Cayman has no dock for cruise ships.   From George Town visiting Stingray City usually requires two additional boat trips taking thirty minutes or more to reach the site.  It is not known what emergency assistance is available or if it is close or reliable.


Water depth over the sandbar varies from two to four feet.  Many tour operators depending on their watercraft, water conditions and the size of the crowds have passengers enter deeper water and they must swim to the sandbar where the sting rays feed or the operator will encourage the rays to come near their boat.  The water at Stingray City is often rolling waves.  It is not unusual for swells to reach three to four feet.


Grand Cayman is a popular port, having multiple cruise ships arriving with many thousands of visitors each day.  Stingray City is the Cayman Island’s number one attraction with hundreds of people  boating out to see the rays daily.  Most find the water beautiful but the area can have poor weather and sea conditions.  Stingray City is always crowded with both boats and people.  Most tours serve alcohol or allow passengers to bring their own. Many passengers to differing degrees become intoxicated. Although there are smaller boats with fewer people some of the larger boats have as many as one hundred passengers on board.  Many would be described as party boats.


The stingrays interact with the tourists for food.  Most people visiting Stingray City that have “swam†with, hand fed and handled the resident Southern Stingrays have done so without incident. A few have had their hands or arms “bitten†usually little more than a reddish pucker-mark. Although the rays at Stingray City are pretty much habituated to contact, stingrays do pose some danger.  It has been reported that some 1,500 stingray-related injuries happen in the United States every year.  Most are minor wounds around the feet and ankles although more serious injuries, even a death have been reported. The “sting†which gives these fish their common name is a modified dermal denticle mounted near the base of the tail, about one-third along its total length. The sting consists of a blade-like barb with serrations along both edges and a venom gland at the base. If stung the barbs are difficult and very painful to remove. The venom is a fairly powerful nerve toxin.  Overall stingrays are gentle creatures and when threaten they usually flee.  Still some people “accidentally†get stung and some stingrays become competitive even aggressive when feeding. (Males average one and half feet across.  Most females are about three feet across although some reach six feet.) Larger females have been known to knock people down in their pursuit of food.  People often find themselves surrounded by fifty or more stingrays at a timeâ€â€swimming up onto the chests, over the arms and through the legs of unexpecting tourists. (Although usually not the case there are some days when only a few stingrays are at the sandbar. There are also times the stingrays show little interest in interacting with people.)  At a minimum, with all the commotion many say that it is difficult keeping their balance and staying focused while in the water with the rays. Adding to this difficulty is that the stingrays submerge themselves under shallow sand and people have to be extra careful not to walk on them.  For some the experience, at least at first, is intimidating if not terrifying. Unfortunately, even if you are prepared yourself for such an environment you cannot control the tens of boats and the hundreds of people in the water near you.  Some adults become frightened.  Some literally scream.  Sometimes while startled, their inexperience in water and with the rays cause some people to inadvertently, at a minimum, lessen the experience for others and at worse endanger those around them.


Most people do find their time with the rays extremely worthwhile.  It is without doubt a remarkable experience.  Nevertheless, Stingray City can only be described at times as chaotic and experiencing the stingrays is not without challenge and risk.


Although the opinions, insight and information provided by participants of this message board can be very helpful, all such information, including the above should not be relied on without verification. Nor should it replace your own complete research and investigation. Best of luck to you and your family.




Post Edited (03-12-04 02:46)


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