Growing up in Canada – far from the ocean, I was always conditioned to believe that Sting Rays were a lethal fish that you would be unlucky to run into let alone touch. It turns out my fear was somewhat unjustified as our recent family trip to the Bahamas can attest.Sting Rays are very common in the Abacos, Bahamas. Our family saw one on our first day swimming in Cocoa Bay. Sitting on the dock, a moving black shadow caught our attention and served as an introduction to Sting Rays ! Later in the week, a mid sized sting ray followed us as we made our way down the beach.
The highlight of our Sting Ray interaction came on a snorkel day trip with Brendall’s Dive Shop. As our boat pulled up to a beautiful deserted beach for a shore lunch, two large
Sting Rays came right up to the boat.
Brendall demonstrated that Sting Rays are quite friendly and in fact you can touch them as long as you stay away from their spine and tail ( which are sharp and poisonous). Standing in waist high water off the beach, Brendall showed our family how we could touch and pet Sting Rays (their belly feels soft!). He gave us little bits of fish to put between our toes. The Sting Rays would then approach and suck out the fish. The experience was unforgettable! Contact Langford & Company if you are interested in seeing Sting Rays or organizing a family adventure to the Abacos
