Great! You've chosen the best tour operator at the price you want to pay, to take you to the Stingray City Sandbar in Grand Cayman.....what can you expect during this adventure?
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| Stingray City Grand Cayman - welcoming committee |
Depth of water
Water at the Stingray City Sandbar is between 2-5 feet deep. Good weather conditions mean water as smooth as glass, rougher conditions bring choppy water. Good excursion operators will ensure that he moors his boat in water as shallow as safety allows, providing easy access into these beautiful Caribbean waters.
Stingray activity
These stingrays are clever! They know which boats bring stingray "popcorn" (the squid that they so enjoy feasting on), and enthusiastically form a welcoming party before the anchors are even set!
The most important thing to remember?
R-E-S-P-E-C-T the stingrays
and they will respect you!
These foxy girls have had over 35 years experience of human contact, and like all self-respecting ladies, will give you the "cold shoulder" for bad behaviour. Hopefully, your guide has informed you how to behave in the water, and how to handle the stingrays. If you are feeling unsure, please mention this to your crew before entering the water - do not wait till you are in the water to freak out!
Our Captain Mario likens the stingray encounter to "a barbecue in your backyard with friends, with 15-20 six month old labrador puppies running around". Tread carefully, treat gently. Upon entering the water, they will peacefully swim around you, touching you and rubbing against you to get to know you.
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| Stingray City Sandbar - waist deep in stingrays and loving it! |
You are not allowed to wear shoes at the Sandbar, so just enjoy the feel of fine coral sands between your toes. Get that Caribbean vacation vibe going, relax and enjoy the adventure! Guests who have been initially terrified of this moment have to be dragged back onto the boat when it is time to depart - such is the magic of these creatures.
However, this docile behaviour is quickly forgotten when they sense the squid coming their way - that is when they get quite excited (mine! mine! mine!) and just like those little "puppies" we alluded to earlier, they will become quite the attention getters! Once again, just enjoy the fun, share the squid (don't tease!) and appreciate them for sharing their time with you.
Some guests are quite taken aback by the size of the stingrays so best be prepared - the girls can be up to 5.5 feet from wingtip to wingtip, while the boys are smaller - approximately 1.5 - 2 feet across.
Our crew are particular protective over these rays, but love showing you how to cradle them in your arms for a photo, and help you get your stingray kiss which bring 7 years good luck! The stingrays seem to enjoy these kisses - their little "noses" actually pucker up!
We have not yet seen one guests leave this attraction with a smile, which makes it one of the top things to do in Cayman Islands! So get out there and enjoy!
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| Go girl! Gran earns her 7 years of good luck! |
