STINGRAY CITY TOURS GRAND CAYMAN - THE BEST ADVICE THAT WE CAN GIVE!

DO NOT BOOK YOUR SEA TOUR ON THE LAST DAY OF YOUR VACATION!

Let us say it one more time - do NOT book your sea tour on the LAST DAY of your vacation!

Tropical storm over the North Sound in Grand Cayman

As tempting as it might seem after your flight to a caribbean island promising you a well earned vacation, dropping the luggage in the room and leaving sea tour bookings till your last day of holiday is very ill-advised.

Caribbean = tropical weather

Tropical weather = teenager

 Teenager = dramatic & instantaneous mood swings

therefore

Caribbean = dramatic & instantaneous weather swings

Having said the above, I don't think even hurricanes keep us Grand Cayman tour operators quite as adrenalin pumped as we become when bad weather strikes - conditions become unsafe and tours have to be cancelled. And the wrath of unhappy, frustrated guests and visitors is unleashed upon us......

Perhaps it comes down to expectations. At this time of the year, most holiday makers visiting caribbean islands are escaping from the grey, freezing conditions of home - conditions that bring incumbent lifestyle discomforts, increased utility bills and for those travelling, delayed flights. On the flip side of the coin (or should I say credit card?), the tropical vacation destination is supposed to be quite the opposite - sunny, balmy days in paradise, a comfortable existence of one layer of clothing and hassle free fun hunting ........ and then the weather happens and the dream is blown to bits by gusting caribbean winds. Not exactly the plan.

Believe us when we say that it breaks our hearts when this happens. We sincerely want nothing but the very best of experiences for our island visitors. We want you to have the sun in the hammock, the golden vacation memories. We want to send you home with glowing tans, sentimental smiles and plans for the next visit already on the boil! And as Stingray City Tour operators, we really, really, REALLY want you to experience feeding and kissing the stingrays in Grand Cayman.

We have awesome sea tour operators here in Grand Cayman. We honestly do. And they will do just about anything to make you enjoy your time with them. But one thing they can NOT do is change the weather, nor can they accommodate guests from three (or more) cancelled tours onto the fourth tour, no matter how much money you offer, no matter how much you raise your voice and no matter how little time you have left on the island. Doing so is not safe, not good for business and simply not right.

So we beg you, please book your tours early on in your vacation. If bad weather happens, you can reschedule. If bad weather happens again, you can reschedule again. If bad weather happens again, that is pretty lousy luck but at least you tried and you can try again on your next visit (because we know that you will love our island and come back). 

Just don't leave the sea tour to the last day ...........

Barbara the stingray during a snorkel stop

AT WHAT PRICE INTEGRITY?

We do hope that everyone has had a wonderful christmas and New Year and we wish all peace, health and safety for 2015! We wish the same for our very precious stingrays at the Sandbar in Grand Cayman and will make sure we get to kiss as many of them as possible!

We are now entering into the busiest period on the island - end December through to March is usually high season for guests out to enjoy a caribbean vacation away from the cold. It is now considered "winter" here - if you have experienced our summers you will understand why we cover up with sweaters in temperatures of 22 celsius! We look forward to meeting guests from far and wide, whether they arrive by cruise ship or by plane.

Unpleasantly, we have noticed a trend towards "bullying" operators. Over the last 6 months, there has been an increasing number of incidents of guests booking standard tours and then upon arrival loudly arguing that they had booked a private tour and then (a) expect to pay the standard tour fee for a private tour and (b) demand that other clients be abandoned. This has even extended to online queries offering promises of money to "get rid" of already booked guests so they can enjoy a boat to themselves.

Anyone can make a mistake, and we are sure that somewhere in our future there might well be an instance where an error has occurred - should this happen, we would take whatever steps we could to rectify the situation and ensure a great outcome for the guest. But it is horribly unpleasant to have to defend one's integrity when (a) no error has been made and (b) everything about a company and its services are advertised online. 

One wonders if said guests would use the same tactic with an airline or hotel? After booking an economy ticket, would they yell at their pilot that they had booked first class tickets and had not counted on sharing the plane with quite so many people? After booking a standard room in a hotel, would they then confront the manager and demand they had requested the best suite and were unhappy about sharing the hotel pool with so many guests?

Well, perhaps they would. But we can assure the guests who book with us that we value their loyalty and our integrity, and vow that their bookings will never be cancelled because of "better offers". You have shown trust in us by choosing our company's services and boy are we gonna make sure we are worth it!

IS STINGRAY CITY GRAND CAYMAN SAFE FOR CHILDREN?

I doubt that there are any visitors to Grand Cayman in the Caribbean who are not aware of the world famous Stingray City Sandbar. Excursions take guests to interact with, feed and even kiss the Southern Stingrays here, and many of these visitors are families on vacation.

This begs the questions "is the sandbar safe for children"? 

We would be foolish to take this concern lightly - these stingrays are after all armed with their barbs so that they can defend themselves against predators. They are not "trained", and interact with visitors  of their own free will. Some may disappear for months and then suddenly (and to our great delight) make a reappearance for daily kisses. Some never return (and we have our suspicions about them), but that is another story entirely.

Read up on the history of Stingray City, and you will learn that our stingrays have had over 30 years of interaction with human beings and do not automatically see us as either predator or prey. A reputable tour operator will know how to treat the stingrays, and should be in the water with you to show you how to do the same. Respect is key - no "cowboy" antics should be tolerated, from anyone, ever. That is asking for trouble.

So, we would advise that this attraction is no more dangerous for children than it is for adults, and we have hosted countless children from 3 months of age and up. In fact, our experience is that the kids have an enormous natural respect and awe for these beautiful sea creatures and become mesmerised when holding the stingrays. Of course, every child is different and each one has a different taste for adventure, so while we encourage all of them to partake in this experience, we never force it upon anyone, no matter the age.    

A child holds a stingray at Stingray City in Grand Cayman

Ultimately, it is the decision of the parents whether to take their children or not. Us? We love sharing it and feel it can only be a good experience and can't wait to do it again with the next young adventurer!

This youngster snorkels with Barbara

SOME DAYS ARE DIAMONDS.......

Sigh. Just plain stupidly, daftly and ridiculously lucky.

First of all, we live on Grand Cayman - naturally, we think this is the best Caribbean island you can visit. 

Yes, we do have traffic jams. But while we wait 15 minutes to get through these, we can smell the ocean, look up at open azure skies and enjoy either a view of the Caribbean blues or at the very least, the natural vegetation and palm trees that surround us.

Yes, it gets hot and humid. REALLY hot and humid. But that's when we jump into awesomely beautiful caribbean water which is no further than a 10 minute drive from any point on the island.

Yes, we have a hurricane season. But we are very lucky and usually only suffer tropical storms, which actually just wash off dusty plants and make every thing shine even more (never mind that glorious post-storm fragrance which is so head-swirlingly refreshing).

So all of the above (and so much more) is pretty awesome. But then, we also get blessed with days like these, when we seriously need to pinch ourselves to make sure it's real:

Looking at the barrier reef in Grand Cayman

Yesterday was one of THOSE days. When, even as blessed as we are, we get treated with something even more special. Our boat trip to the Barrier Reef in Grand Cayman for snorkelling left us mesmerised - skimming over the waters you could actually spot the Starfish in the sea grass!!

And what is the first treat we get at the snorkel site?

Not one - but TWO - Eagle Rays playing at the Barrier Reef in Cayman

By this point, the feeling of being Alice in Wonderland has got about as unbelievable as it seems it could get, but no. The snorkelling carried on to include a school of about 500 Blue Tangs, Trumpet Fish, each variety of Parrot Fish, Trunk Fish and an array of coral formations which left everyone breathless.

Our guests were pretty quiet with awe while moving onto the next stop - the world famous Stingray City Sandbar. After the snorkelling adventure just experienced, everyone seemed anxious that even this much anticipated attraction might be a bit of an anti-climax. How wrong we were......

Stingray City Grand Cayman

We could not have been prepared for the beauty waiting there for us - the sun was glancing off the waters, giving it an "ombre" effect. With only two other boats there, the stingrays were only too happy to dance around us, eagerly looking for their squid treat, supplying cuddles and kisses. Nearly all of our favourites were there - Barbara, Snowflake, Frosty, Kim and Kisses ..... one young female stingray even swam straight into the arms of a guest and stayed there for an awesome  2 minute snuggle.....something that even Captain Mario has never experienced.

All good things come to an end, and hard as it was, the time to go on home came too quickly. However, the sunset that was the golden topping to an emerald day soothed the sadness and just warmed the memories even more. 

Grand Cayman sunset - afternoon tour

Like we said.....some days are diamonds.....but some are just pure Caribbean Emeralds!

STINGRAY CITY GRAND CAYMAN - IS IT DANGEROUS?

Am I going to die?

This is a question Captain Mario hears often when taking excursion guests to visit the Stingray Sandbar in Grand Cayman.

His answer?

"Yes, we are all going to die, but hopefully not today, and not with us."

Cuddling a stingray at Grand Cayman's stingray sandbar

Years after the paradoxical death of dedicated conservationist Steve Irwin, Grand Cayman - home to the wondrous Stingray City Sandbar, still feels the sting. It is no small task to remove the barb of this memory from the island guests when faced with the life changing opportunity to interact with, feed and even kiss, our stingrays.

Our company and crew considers itself privileged to observe their guests transforming from fear-filled, intrepid visitors to awe inspired ambassadors of the stingrays. Each giggling guest is seen as a stroke against the tide of ill repute regarding these ethereal creatures. The magic belongs to the Cayman stingrays and their azure Caribbean Sea arena - we are there simply to help you experience the moment.

Stingray City in Grand Cayman

Stingrays will react defensively if perceiving danger. None of the stingrays are forced into this interaction, they are there of their own free will - some will disappear for weeks, others are regulars whom we see daily. Our "girls" have had over 35 years of contact with humans - just listen to your tour guides and treat the rays with respect and you will have an experience that you will not only live through, but never forget.

STINGRAY CITY GRAND CAYMAN - "THE GIRLS" # 4

"LILLY" the stingray

Today is Lilly's turn!

We have previously introduced you to some of the stingrays at the Sandbar in Grand Cayman - today we talk to you about Dwayne's favourite girl.

Lilly the stingray puckers up for a kiss

Our excursion guests are amazed at how the stingrays recognise the different boats and  crew members, swarming over to meet their favourites! Dwayne has a soft spot for Lilly (and she for him) - she is such a gentle giant and really puckers up for those kisses.

This young adventure seeker on yesterday's tour was intrepid at first, but Lilly just patiently hung in there until the magic happened - we think they both deserve 7 years good luck!

Stingray City Sandbar in Grand Cayman

Lilly is in excellent condition and has very few marks on her - life in the seas can leave a few scars.  However,  Lilly's gentle & sweet nature must affect everything around her - hence the almost flawless complexion!

We adore you Lilly - stay safe and happy!

EXCURSIONS TO STINGRAY CITY IN GRAND CAYMAN

Waist deep in stingrays......now what?

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?

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.

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!

Go girl! Gran earns her 7 years of good luck!

STINGRAY CITY GRAND CAYMAN - "THE GIRLS" # 2

"Scarface". As photos of our beautiful ladies (the stingrays at Stingray City) become available, we will introduce you to them. Scarface is named for her very obvious injury - a great big gash along the left side of her "nose". Thankfully, she has healed well.....but it is a very graphic reminder of the boaters who use the North Sound with reckless abandon and disregard for the creatures who live there. These "cowboys" earn no respect, unlike the "girls" who deserve all the respect in the world!

LOVE YA SCARFACE!