Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
112
Moments
Y our Temporary Caymanian
Pet: A Stingray
Grand Cayman is home t o one of the most unusual under-
water attractions in the world,
Stingray City
. Set in the
sun-flooded, 4m-deep (13-ft.) waters of North Sound, about
3km (2 miles) east of the island 's northwestern tip, the site
started t o bec ome popular in the mid-1980s when local
fishermen w ould clean their cat ches and dump the offal
overboard. They began to notice scores of stingrays (which
usually eat marine crabs) feeding on the debris, a phenom-
enon that quick ly attracted local div ers and marine z oolo-
gists. Today, bet ween 30 and 50 r elatively tame sting rays
hover around the sit e for daily handouts of squid and bal-
lyhoo fr om incr easing hor des of snorkelers and div ers.
About half a do zen entr epreneurs lead expeditions fr om
points along S even Mile Beach, tra veling around the land-
mass of Conch Point to the feeding grounds. The previously
recommended
Red S ail Spor ts
(p . 108) off ers one -tank
scuba dives to Stingray City, priced at US$80; snorkel excur-
sions cost between US$30 and US$80.
Warning:
Stingrays possess deeply penetrating and
viciously barbed stingers capable of inflic ting painful dam-
age to anyone who mistr eats them. Need w e mention the
death in 2006 of A ustralian animal adv enturer Steve Irwin,
who received a barb from a stingray directly in his chest? A
local spokesperson f or Red Sail emphasiz es that I rwin's
stingray was of a mor e agg ressive and lar ger br eed than
what you're likely to encounter in the C ayman Islands. She
referred to the relatively tame beasts in C aymanian waters
as equivalent t o “big, sloppy puppy dogs,” and the experi-
ence overall as “great fun.” Nevertheless, we are not amused
by this as a pastime, and simply cannot gush with any genu-
ine thrill or enthusiasm. (F rankly, we prefer domesticated,
landlubber dogs and cats.) If you opt for an adventure with
one of these underwater beasts “close up, touchy-feely, and
personal,” be alert, and don't make any fast moves (the rays
can panic, we're told). And above all, as the divers say, never
try to grab one by the tail.
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