Karpal's Global Connections: The Sting Rays of The Great Cayman Island.

I've been around the world about half a dozen times, utilizing all forms of travel imaginable, and the the question I get asked most often is: "What's the most incredible thing that you ever did or witnessed that made you go "WOW! on your worldly jaunts"? Without hesitation I more often than not reply: "The Great Cayman Island, Sting Ray City".

I do know that some members of our alumni have worked on cruise ships strumming guitars and banging drums so they may be privy to the information that I relate as we proceed. I once took a flight from Vancouver, BC to O'Hare to catch a connecting flight to Tampa, FL where I boarded a huge cruise ship. Yep, way bigger than the venerable Al Said, the Al Hahdra or the Khalifa, all the late Sultan's glorious ships that I was intimately familiar with on their Zanzibar-Mtoni Wete-Pemba-Zanzibar runs. On occasions they even towed a fully laden lighter always on the return voyage.

As a lad I loved going astern to watch that small little lighter bravely crashing into the huge oncoming waves while straining and protesting to be free of the tow hawser. I was unaware at the time but it is so comforting to know now that, at even that tender age, I was always rooting for the underdog.

Needless to say I had a sea cabin for you well understand there's not much to do in small cabin other than watch the idiot box or sleep. The ship caste off, and we were off in a narrow, shallow channel without help from a tug or a pilot. I went up on the deck to see the fast disappearing view as we headed out to the open sea.

Later at the dinner table some folks said that some guy had fallen over board. But the ship oddly, had not stopped. Since we were relatively close to where we had left, I assumed that the Captain had radioed the port and alerted those ashore of the eventuality and laid the matter to rest. I went up on the upper deck for a brisk walk and was pleasantly surprised as to how quickly we were losing light. We were in the tropics after all and not in Canada anymore.

{Quick note}: Heard on my return that the bloke had a tiff with his lady and he jumped from the moving ship.] Next morning at breakfast the chatter, as usual, was about options regarding shore excursions. Sting Ray City was mentioned along with other possibilities. My first re-action was it's just another pokey, loud, cigar smoke filled dance-hall, a place I detest like the plague until somebody gave me some promotional literature. It showed a large tourist boat, wide open West Indies ocean and actual sting rays in their natural habitat namely the wide blue ocean. I was in! I went to the spot where the tourist boat was docked.

Without much ado we caste-off and we were motoring to the horizon at a respectful clip. How deep would we have to dive to interact with the sting rays? Do we snorkel or do we use oxygen tanks? We were not hunting them but just look and interact with them. This was something new to me. An apex hunter turned a voyeur! I did have misgivings though.

Do you recall the Australian who mucked around with wild animals and who met his untimely death whilst trying to inter-act with a sting ray somewhere in Australian waters? They call them sting rays because they have a heck of lethal sting. Shiver me timbers! Well what the heck......it was a good gig! The Captain throttled down and came on the intercom. "We are now nearing the area where the sting rays congregate. It is a shallow sand bank area about chest high, that rises from the deep. In olden times when there was an abundance of fish around these waters, the fishermen would fish these seas and when the fishing was done for the day, they would come to this very sand bank and anchor here to clean their day's catch.

For the local sting rays this area became known where plentiful food was easily available without too much exertion. The fish around here are now almost gone, but we bring tourists like you to feed the rays. You will have the privilege of feeding them.

As we near the the shallow sandy bank, the sting rays recognize the sound of our boat's engine and will approach the area where we will anchor. If you look down at the sides of our boat you will notice the rays swimming towards the boat.

They are readily visible due to their darker shade of grey. Once anchored you can descend to the sand bank by using the ladder. To attract the rays, you can purchase a pouch of 7 inch fish bait which you can hold individually in your palm and feed the rays. The ray will suck the bait out from your closed palm with remarkable force! These rays are like pets. We know most of them by names the crew have given them. They are not aggressive nor do they lie on the sandy floor where one could run the risk of stepping on their sting which is in the tail. The rays are friendly and playful. They mean no harm. Sometimes they may sneak behind you and climb up on your shoulders.

Yep! You may have something to write home about! For your convenience we have photographers if you require any photographs of you and the rays in the water or when you are on the boat. Enjoy the interaction with the sting rays." This is not verbatim. It's the closest I can recall after all these years. The promotional images in the attachment are not mine. I came across them. Hope they help.

I have a suitcase full of slides that when and if I retire I will down load onto my computer and share with you for your pleasure.

Karpal.

Click Link to view :- Sting Rays.

STING RAYS

Dare to Cultivate
Grand Cayman Islands ...