Stingray Sailing Tour with Chip

My family and I just returned from the Vista's 6 day cruise on November 18. We had booked the Stingray Sailing tour with Chip our Cayman Island day and loved it. My last time I was there I did the Carnival excursion and had virtually no interaction with the critters but this time I had at least 5 or 6 around me at all times. Luckily for us, not for Chip we were the only ones who booked the tour so it was a private tour with my husband, my daughter and me. The tour was $65.00 US for each person and he provided bottled water and apples as a snack. There was also pop or beer that you could purchase in a cooler. I highly recommend this tour as you will not be disappointed.

I could not agree more. We just returned from Epic's Western Caribbean cruise and decided on Chip's Stingray Sailing tour after a lot of research. The price includes round trip transportation and snorkel gear. It lasts about four hours and includes two stops: the sandbar and the reef. Meeting up with Captain Chip at the dock was easy because all three terminals, and even the cargo port which is now sometimes used for tenders, are all very close together. The catamaran was comfortable and the crew was great. Chip did a great job making sure we were all knowledgeable, comfortable, and prepared for the excursion ahead. The ride out to the reef took about a half hour and was incredibly enjoyable! They were very respectful of the stingrays and passenger safety and comfort was also apriority.

The water was calm and shallow. When Chip brought the boat to the bar the stingrays started coming to his boat. Now there were already a few boats there, some with a large number of passengers, but Chip limits his tours to 25. They treat the rays very well. They will not, for example, pick up a ray out of the water for photo op. The rays really seemed to recognize Capt. Chip's boat. A snorkel stop followed our stop with the rays.

This will sound like (and probably be) a dumb question, but don’t stingrays...sting? I thought the ones you typically find at aquariums to pet have had their barbs removed. How are these wild ones safe? Thanks!

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This will sound like (and probably be) a dumb question, but don’t stingrays...sting? I thought the ones you typically find at aquariums to pet have had their barbs removed. How are these wild ones safe? Thanks!

Yes, these stingrays are wild, but they're very used to humans. It's perfectly safe. For more details, read the full section below.

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Dangerous Stingrays?

Stingrays are generally non-aggressive. When threatened, their first reaction is to swim away. This is easy for them to do at Stingray City, since it's just a section of open ocean and the stingrays aren't penned up in any way. They don't just attack you and sting you (although they can be fairly enthusiastic and/or boisterous in their quest for squid chunks). They may sting you by reflex/accident if you step on one. That's why you are not permitted to wear water shoes at Stingray City, and why you are told to shuffle your feet rather than lift them, so that you will not accidententally step on one.

There are many, many types of rays. Steve Irwin was stung by a bull ray, a totally different type than the southern rays at Stingray City. It is also suggested that what killed him wasn't the sting itself, but the fact that he was stung in the chest and then pulled out the barb. There is also the issue that the bull ray was a wild ray and unused to people, while the Stingray City southern rays have spent years and years learning that people are not the enemy, they're a ready source of squid snacks.

For most stings, which are extremely rare, Wikipedia says that the remedy is usually hot water to dilute the venom plus antibiotics. I don't personally know anyone who has ever been stung, so I just have to trust my research on that part of the issue.

From my experience at Stingray City, which is fairly extensive, the usual "injuries" from stingrays involve "hickeys" from the suction of their mouths during a search for squid (say when your DH has stuffed a chunk of squid down your bathing suit for fun) or accidental scrapes from their tails when they swim by you too fast looking for squid and the tail kind of whips against you. These injuries are very minor, though, and are far from life-threatening.

You'll notice the common element here is squid. Stingrays at Stingray City are only interested in one thing...the snacks that they know you've brought with you. No squid = no stingray attention at all. They're worse than cats that way. If you aren't giving them treats, they've got very little interest in you. They may swim by, just to double-check for squid, but as soon as they realize you haven't got any, they'll swim away again fairly quickly. If you are at all nervous about them, stay away from the squid and the stingrays will stay away from you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingrays

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin#Death

I've been to Stingray City dozens of times, and never had a problem with the stingrays. (With my DH, sure, but never the rays. ) It's very safe as long as you behave with respect and common sense.

I echo the positive experience with Captain Chip and Stingray Sailing. We sailed with Captain Chip on Feb 1 with a group of only 9 people. At the sandbar there were a couple boats with at least 40-50 people packed on them like sardines - and we were so glad not to be on those boats! Captain Chip knows his way around the stingrays, and makes sure that each person has the opportunity to engage with stingrays in a manner comfortable for the human as well as in a respectful manner for the stingray. Can't say enough good things about Captain Chip, and if we return to Grand Cayman we will book with him again.

thank you for posting this! We are scheduled with them in March and really looking forward to it!

I just saw this post after I stated one inquiring about another tour. This one sounds fabulous. Can you tell me what time they start the tour and how long it is? We are tendering in and the port schedule is 7:00 AM-3:30PM Not one of the long days. I want to make sure we get back before the last tender.