Scuba Diving Destinations:

Stingray City and its famous rays

Destination: Caribbean Sea, Cayman Islands, Stingray City

Stingray City, in Cayman Islands, is famous for the great amount of rays it has and allows visitors to enjoy. In this place, rays can be seen gathering in the shallow water, allowing divers and even people who are on the surface to easily see them. This way, this place provides a great experience for those divers who enjoy meeting fish species and being close to them while practicing their sport.

Before it became known by visitors and turned into a point of attraction for divers and tourists in general, it was already known by local fisherman and inhabitants who were used to viewing rays near them in the water. Fisherman even used to feed them with scraps of fish which would attract them in groups.

Visitors and tourists who go to Stingray City can easily have a close encounter with rays. These fishes are very friendly and come close to divers, swimmers and people who practice snorkeling wishing to be fed by them as well as due to curiosity. They are used to people feeding them which has made them less distrustful and makes them easily approach strangers.

Stingrays are often feared due to the sharp barbs in their tails and the poison they contain, but this kind of fish is not aggressive and they would not attack unless it is in self defense and it would hardly happen with human beings who approach with peaceful intentions. Rays are very pacific and friendly fish who would approach divers and swimmers in search of food in a peaceful manner.

The rays which divers would usually find in Stingray City are mostly gray or brown and white at their bellies. Their shape is flat and broad with a small head, and move in a very curious way which is often compared to the way in which a bird flies. Their mouths are on their underside while their eyes are on the upper side, which makes them unable to see what they are eating, but they have special receptors and senses of smell and taste which allows them to be aware of what they are ingesting.





Featured Scuba Diving Articles

Decompression Meter Benefits The benefits of having a decompression meter
A decompression meter or computer indicates the diver the right decompression schedule which he should follow.


Spear guns for scuba divers Things to consider when looking for dive watches and timers
If you are looking for diving watches and dive timers, there are a few things you should know and have into account in order to buy what you really need.


What is decompression all about What is decompression all about?
Decompression is necessary whenever a scuba diver wishes to dive in depths which go under the 130 feet.


The skin squeeze effect The skin squeeze effect in scuba diving
Skin squeeze is one of the barotrauma problems which divers can suffer due to the pressure factors involved in the practice of the sport.