Stingrays?

[vikkicat]

HI i was wondering if there are often stingrays in the waters by the playa? we will be coming on 31st July and as i have previously been stung while in florida i am quite worried about them!

thanks!
Also if there are stingrays in the water, how best to avoid getting stung (other than the obvious - keep out of the water?)

[james]

It is an occupational hazard of relaxation.

Lightning never strikes twice

[Johnny'D']

Originally Posted by vikkicat

HI i was wondering if there are often stingrays in the waters by the playa? we will be coming on 31st July and as i have previously been stung while in florida i am quite worried about them!

thanks!
Also if there are stingrays in the water, how best to avoid getting stung (other than the obvious - keep out of the water?)

dont worry I think the sharks, the Moray eels and barracudas scare them off. lol

[Rissask]

"how best to avoid getting stung?"

They will get out of your way if you let them know you are coming.

So don't pick your feet up and step down, shuffle your feet when walking in the ocean.

know as 'the stingray shuffle'.

[james]

Originally Posted by Rissask

"how best to avoid getting stung?"

They will get out of your way if you let them know you are coming.

So don't pick your feet up and step down, shuffle your feet when walking in the ocean.

know as 'the stingray shuffle'.

and if everyone walks around shuffling their feet....?

I've heard of few stings and millions of tourists.

[absoluteAL]

Seen plenty of stingray around town...........but mostly on boots and wallets .

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by james

and if everyone walks around shuffling their feet....?

I've heard of few stings and millions of tourists.

I know it's likely not really much help ....but I do the shuffle anyway!

I also try to remember to take jewelry off before snorkeling so I don't 'attract the barracudas' ....another mostly-old-wives-tale...

[vikkicat]

Thankyou everyone!

So I'm not scared of the other beasties in the water..... But I won't tell my kids lol!!!!

I'll remember to take swim shoes for my boys too!

Oh I have another question- where is the best place for a young family to swim with dolphins? My boys are 8&5, and roughly how much would I expect to pay?

Thanks again!
Vikki

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by vikkicat

Oh I have another question- where is the best place for a young family to swim with dolphins? My boys are 8&5, and roughly how much would I expect to pay?

Thanks again!
Vikki

Please see THIS recent thread asking the same question. There are some posts that you may want to skip over (or not?) but if I link to that thread now, it might stop what happened there from starting up here.

In short:

Dolphin Discovery
Dolphinaris
Xel Ha
Xcaret

You can Google all those names to get info on each place, location, prices, types of swims, etc.

[vikkicat]

Thanks shammy, didn't see the other post! And I thought I looked too

[Heather]

I have this thing with being terrified of things touching me in water, so I was doing the 'stingray shuffle' one day at Xpu Ha. Imagine my horror when I kicked a stingray, which took off fast to get away from ME.

[buceo]

My brother was at the pool bar of an AI a few miles north of Playa last month when a women was stung in front of the resort. He heard her describe it as "I've given birth twice and this hurt way more", so if you've been stung the fear is sure understandable. She was walking around the next day, but for a while the pain is extreme. (I've read to warm the wound it helps break down the toxin more rapidly).