Do you have to snorkel at StingRay City?

[lilo62]

I'm not a snorkeler, but my DH is and I'd hate to miss out on Stingray City. Is it required that you snorkel? And was it worth the money?

We'll be doing our own vacation to Paradise Island in November and I know that there is a Stingray Swim there - should we forgo the one in the Caymens and just wait for the Bahamas???

HELP!

 

[jollytammy]

When we went, the ship backs up to a sandbar, and you climb out of the boat onto the sandbar. They say to be careful not to step on the rays because you can damage them. I'm 5'3" and the water was up to my chest. The stingrays swim by you and the people on the boat hold one and let you pet it and hold it if you want to, or feed it. Also, the rays swim by you hoping that you have food for them. It is just the coolest thing. You don't need a mask or fins or a snorkle cause you don't have to go under the water, unless you would want to.

What we did was go to the sandbar with the stingrays, then went to another spot to snorkle. Some of us snorkled, others just sat on the boat in the sun and relaxed.

Hope that helps, have fun!

 

[HookedonDCL]

The only question I can answer is that you do not have to snorkel but you do pay the same price as someone that does. We are book through Captain Marvin's in a few weeks and my mom and middle DD will not even think about getting in the water but they do enjoy the boat ride and watching the rest of us. Plus I like having them with us. I hope this helps a little.

 

[jennat]

You do not "have" to snorkle in Stingray City but you HAVE to get out of the boat and swim with them. Not HAVE to, like if you don't they will throw you in Snorkling Jail, but HAVE to like WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!! As the above poster stated. You can usually touch or bounce. No snorkle equipment was even given out. We too went to another spot to snorkle. I am sure there are just Stingray options available (w/o snorkle). Look into that.

 

[Invisible Penguinboy]

like the others siad you do not have to snorkel, but they do give you all the equipment if you want to so dont get scared when they hand you a mask. My favorite part about the stingrays was actually afterwards when they give all the leftover food to huge fish, turtles, and a huge eel in the corner, and if you do decide that you want to go snorkeling, or if your dh wants to, it is a really amazing site to see.

 

[GenieDana]

Nativeway will let you ride the boat out (FIL did not go in the water). The cost was $10 for him.

 

[PattiO]

Stingray City was one of our favorite excursions and well worth the money!!! It was awesome getting the experience to swim the rays. Our excursion also passed out snorkle equipment, my kids did go under the water but I didn't. The water was anywhere from thigh high to chest high on me (I'm 5'4). We had so much fun. We got to hold, pet, and kiss the rays. They put the rays on our back to give us a massage. We got to feed them also. It was really a great family experience for us!!

 

[BobandLee]

Yes. By all means do the Stingray City. Best excurison. We did the Captain Marvin's tour. They are the best. We had a couple that showed up at the last moment because the Disney excursion cancelled. Go figure.

 

[mrsfuzzmo]

If I am not mistaken, the Stingray experience in the Bahamas is nothing like Stingray city. Maybe someone that has done both can clearly describe the differences.

I do know that the Grand Cayman Stingray City, is NOT a park, zoo or other "aqualife" type of refuge or anything. NO fences, pens or anything. It is just an sandbar area that the Stingrays have become acustomed to visiting for food. It is Fabulous, wild, and not to be missed.

Now, when it comes to the water depth, that really has to do with the day/time/weather. I have been there 3 times. The first time was the best. The water was waist deep, crystal clear and there were MANY rays to feed, hold and take great photos of. The last time (last March) there were sooooo many boats there, everyone was on top of each other. The water was a little rough due to some wind, BUT the water on the sandbar was only about 8 inches deep. This in turn had all the kids running and splashing each other and tackling each other and the water was extremely stirred up and the rays stayed out on the deeper water (5-8') and there were fewer than the other two times. I think all the kids running and splashing kept them at a distance. It wasn't nearly the great/cool experience of the previous two times.

That being said, you should definitely do it at least once.

Mrsfuzzmo

 

[Skuba2]

I can tell you that it is great fun. If the water height is at the right height for you, you can stand there with a mask and snorkel on and just bend over and put your face in the water. You will not be able to resist the temptation to look at these beautiful creatures. Some are huge!!

The story goes that the fishing boats would come in the inlet through the reef there and the sting ray learned that they could get the scraps the fishermen (shrimp I think ) threw over as they cleaned their catch. Eventually, they noticed the rays coming and it grew from there.

You will notice how they are very much attracted to the sound of the boat. They will start swimming around and under even before you make it in the water.

I have both snorkeled and dove this site and I actually prefer snorkeling. Being a female, it was hard to keep myself underwater and such a shallow depth and it was quite rough when we went out that day. As a side note to diving the site. The rays have learned to come up over a scuba diver and suck at their heads in hopes of taking their mask off. They have learned that divers without masks tend to drop all of their bait. LOL!! Sneaky creatures. It is a very closed in feeling when they try it. But that doesn't happen during snorkeling.

The only piece of advice I can give you is don't rub a hand that you've been holding the "bait" on anything you don't want the rays to be attracted to such as your leg or what not. They will sort of swim up you if you do. LOL!! But it is a great way to attract them to you.

Also, they don't have "teeth". They have a hard ridge I believe and they pick up their food by sucking it up. It is a good tug. They tell you to hold your hand flat and the ray will come over it.

You are correct in that it isn't a park, man-made habitat or other controlled setting. It is a natural setting and they do have their stingers. I am trying to remember if they even let you wear fins. For some reason I thought they didn't so you don't step on the sting rays.

It is a once in a lifetime adventure that isn't to be missed.

DG