Nervous about Discovery Cove Rays

[starrock77]

Ever since the tragedy with Steve Irwin, I'm a little nervous about the Rays at Discovery Cove. Can anyone tell me if they have stingers? Should I not worry about this? Planning a trip in September and would like to visit DC.

Thanks

 

[Adz1984]

I wouldnt worry if i were you, if the rays could hury you in anyway then people would not be allowed to swim with them.

Im almost certain i have read somewhere that they have been de-barbed.

 

[Kath2003]

They haven't been de-barbed but they are gentle creatures who stay away from you. Further they are used to having hundreds of people "visit" them every day and if there was a single incident you can guarantee Sea World would be rethinking the whole thing.

What happened to Steve Irwin was a tragic accident. Swimming with the rays is great fun and an experience you shouldn't miss.

 

[WDWFRV]

We were there in January and we did not have any problem with the Rays, in fact it was an awesome experience.

 

[HopperFan]

Went last Sept and thought about that too. I am one of the first to run out of the ocean when I see something

They were so gentle and really seemed more afraid of us. The ones in the Ray pool were more friendly. The ones in the coral reef did their thing, although a few big ones would lay in sand in shallow area and you could get very close to them.

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

I found the perfect spot in the reef a ledge where the giant stingrays were circling.
It was awesome, you arent allowed to touch the giant rays, we didnt know the first year we went and got yelled at.
But last November I had so much fun trying to stay still while the rays swam along side me they would hit with their fins every time they came around and they keep circling for about a hour,a guy came up and asked if I was real because I was so still and in the same spot for a hour
I couldnt touch them(they say you'll scare them and they will run into the wall)but I sure was having fun having them touch me.

But all that time I thought they were debarbed, they never once seemed agressive though, actually seemed quite interested in me.

It was 100 times more fun than the dolphin swim, but I love stingrays so thats probably why.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Man those are some great photos!

 

[spencem]

We were at DC this President's Day and I overheard someone asking this question of one of the life guards. Their answer was that the rays have their barbs 'shaved' every couple of weeks so that even if you did manage to spook one it couldn't injure you. Like everyone says they are so used to having people around you'll struggle to upset one anyway.

See, not a barb in sight.

 

[robvia]

The big blue rays usually stay on the bottom, and it's hard to get down there to touch one because your wet suit will keep you on the surface. Once in a while, a big blue ray will swim on the surface and the people will "wow" as it passes.

The brown rays swim everywhere and avoid humans if you get in front of them.

When the trainer comes out with a bucket of fish in the afternoon, they know where to go and swarm around the trainer looking for handouts. It's kinda fun because you swim to a ledge on the other side of the lagoon. At first the brown rays stay away and nothing is going on. Then all of a sudden the rays come closer and soon they're all around. They're very gentle and the trainers pet them like a dog or cat. It's intimidating at first to hold a fish in your fingers and put it under water. The ray will swim over the top and suck it out of your fingers like a vacuum. To have them bite you is very hard to do, you'd have to stick your hand up in their mouth. That doesn't happen because you make a fist when putting the fish in it.

 

[Joe1964]

Swimming with the stingrays is incredible, but the adrenaline rush can be a bit overwhelming at first. I found that they will swim directly at you but effortlessly glide away avoiding a collision. After a few minutes of getting used to the mask and snorkel the feeling is wonderful. Swimming head-on into a huge school of fish is a blast!