best snorkeling

Tom, is Chankanaab still a viable snorkeling option or have the hurricanes wrecked the reef? The last time I was there much of it was roped off.


"Tom K" wrote in message ...

"kbutterly" wrote in message
...
Good morning all,

My family is going on a Royal Caribbean cruise on 4/5 from Tampa. We
are stopping in George Town, Grand Cayman, Roatan, Honduras, Belize
City, Belize, and Cozumel, Mexico. Does anyone have an opinion on
which would be the best for snorkeling, to see beautiful fish? My
kids love snorkeling in the Gulf, even though all they see is sand an
a few small fish. They love tropical fish, so seeing them while
snorkeling would be great for them.

We went snorkeling last year on our RC cruise, but the reef was in
pretty bad shape from the hurricanes.

Thanks,
Kathryn

All of them are famous for snorkeling. That stretch has the second best
barrier reef in the world, after Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

In Cayman, the most popular thing to do is go snorkeling with the Stingrays.
Another great place, walkable from where the tenders drop you off, is Eden
Rock, a snorkeling area right adjacent to the road. There are a few dive
shops there where you can rent stuff. There is no sand there... you walk
down the coral steps into the water. Entering the water, you will see
thousands of fish. Last time there, these 3 large tarpon (about 4 feet
long) swam right up to me looking to see if I was going to feed them. When
I didn't, they just swam away.

Cozumel had wonderful reefs. Jacques Cousteau made Cozumel famous. They did
have a Cat 5 hurricane about 2 years ago, so I'm not sure the condition of
the reefs. We used to go snorkeling at Chankanaab Nat. Park there. It's
about a 10 minute taxi ride from the International Pier, a little further
from the downtown piers.

I've never snorkeled at either Roatan or Belize. Roatan also had a Cat 5 a
number of years back. That's when the sailing ship Fantome was lost.

Make sure to get your kids inflatable snorkeling vests. There are currents
there, and there is always the possibility of rip tides.

--Tom

Here is a question......the interaction at Sting Ray City is supposed to be all gentle and nice, but how come that Australian guy was killed by a stingray if they are so gentle? I'm seriously asking this. Why is it safe at one place but not somewhere else?

June

"-hh" wrote in message ...
Rosalie B. wrote:

I was reacting to his "But then I love nature and wild animals" as if
because he thought it was an "awe inspiring experience" and I didn't
that must also mean that I didn't like nature. I thought it was an
exceedingly snide remark. And I love nature - one of my favorite
things.

Unfortunately, while Stingray City is an interaction with wild
animals, it fundamentally is an interaction that has come about
through significant behavior modification. In the Caymans and away
from the City, stingray behavior is significantly different.


I was also partly under the impression that this was a snorkeling
tour, and it really wasn't.

From the expectation of encountering anything other than Southern
Stingrays and a sandy bottom that's hard for humans shuffling around
to damage, and often shallow enough to obviate much need to
swim...hence, the site's nickname of 'Sandbar'.


Yes it would be nice to do if you have never done it, and good for
people who don't swim or don't swim well. And I did enjoy it. But I
wouldn't want to do it again. Once was enough.

Overall, it doesn't mean that it can't be fun - - but it simply isn't
a really honest "Nature" encounter.

FWIW, Stingray City can be a place to avoid being one of the first
boats out after the sandbar's been closed due to weather for a few
days - - the now-dependent rays are more aggressive and this is when
more human injuries (from the animals) occur.


-hh

jcz wrote:
Here is a question......the interaction at Sting Ray City is supposed
to be all gentle and nice, but how come that Australian guy was
killed by a stingray if they are so gentle? I'm seriously asking
this. Why is it safe at one place but not somewhere else?

The Australian stingrays are completly wild, the ones in Grand Caymen
are used to being around humans on a daily basis. Just listen to what
your tour guide tells you and all will be fine.

sue

"jcz" wrote:

Here is a question......the interaction at Sting Ray City is supposed to be all gentle and nice, but how come that Australian guy was killed by a stingray if they are so gentle? I'm seriously asking this. Why is it safe at one place but not somewhere else?

June

I don't know that I would describe Sting Ray City as "all gentle and
nice". Stingrays are not aggressive in that they don't go after
people to kill them. They are wild animals however, and the sting in
their tail is what they use to protect themselves.

At Sting Ray City, you are standing on a sand bar in water that's
about waist deep. You are not to wear shoes or anything on your feet
so that you don't injure the rays. If you watch where you put your
feet, you will be OK - if not you may get a barb into your foot by
stepping on it. It will hurt, but will not kill you.

Steve's accident happened when he was scuba diving in Australia and
the sting ray tail barb flipped up and the poison went into his heart.
It's never AFAIK happened before, and is unlikely to happen again
because it was a freak accident

"-hh" wrote in message ...
Rosalie B. wrote:

I was reacting to his "But then I love nature and wild animals" as if
because he thought it was an "awe inspiring experience" and I didn't
that must also mean that I didn't like nature. I thought it was an
exceedingly snide remark. And I love nature - one of my favorite
things.

Unfortunately, while Stingray City is an interaction with wild
animals, it fundamentally is an interaction that has come about
through significant behavior modification. In the Caymans and away
from the City, stingray behavior is significantly different.


I was also partly under the impression that this was a snorkeling
tour, and it really wasn't.

From the expectation of encountering anything other than Southern
Stingrays and a sandy bottom that's hard for humans shuffling around
to damage, and often shallow enough to obviate much need to
swim...hence, the site's nickname of 'Sandbar'.


Yes it would be nice to do if you have never done it, and good for
people who don't swim or don't swim well. And I did enjoy it. But I
wouldn't want to do it again. Once was enough.

Overall, it doesn't mean that it can't be fun - - but it simply isn't
a really honest "Nature" encounter.

FWIW, Stingray City can be a place to avoid being one of the first
boats out after the sandbar's been closed due to weather for a few
days - - the now-dependent rays are more aggressive and this is when
more human injuries (from the animals) occur.


-hh

"jcz" wrote in message
...
Tom, is Chankanaab still a viable snorkeling option or have the hurricanes
wrecked the reef? The last time I was there much of it was roped off.


Don't know for sure... haven't been to Chank since the hurricane. Though I
heard it was open again.

sue mullen wrote:
jcz wrote:
Here is a question......the interaction at Sting Ray City is supposed
to be all gentle and nice, but how come that Australian guy was
killed by a stingray if they are so gentle? I'm seriously asking
this. Why is it safe at one place but not somewhere else?

The Australian stingrays are completly wild, the ones in Grand Caymen
are used to being around humans on a daily basis. Just listen to what
your tour guide tells you and all will be fine.


That's only half the story. The other half is that all "Stingrays"
are not created equal.

Briefly, the species of ray that Steve Irwin encountered wasn't the
same species as is found in Grand Cayman ( 'Southern Stingrays' -
Dasyatis Americana).

Its not 100% clear as to exactly what species it was with Irwin, but
news reports at the time stated that Steve Irwin was snorkelling in 2m
of water with a "bull ray" that "probably weighed" 220lb (100kg).

While there's scientific problems with this news claim, what does seem
to appear to be reasonably clear is that Irwin wasn't noodling around
with a ray with a 'small' ~3ft wingspan, but one that was
significantly larger.

As such, he wasn't playing around with a cat, but with a lion.

Several years ago off the Florida coast, I encountered some Stingrays
on a scuba dive ... I was told that they were Roughtail Stingrays, but
that claim doesn't match the scientific descriptions, as the ones I
saw were downright huge - - the size of manta rays (I've seen them
too). And there were two of them fighting for the same hiding spot,
so I (perhaps more wisely than Irwin) kept my distance.

In general, the injuries that occur to humans at Stingray City are
confined to "hickies", which are more common after bad weather has
closed the site to visitors for a few days - - the first boats back
out get swarmed by very hungry rays who try to hoover everything in
sight.

As wierd as it sounds, these "hickies" at times have been significant
enough to result in some visitors being taken to the local hospital
for medical attention, although this probably more either the
occasional cuts and a CYA on liability. The general scuba diving list
recommendations is to wear a wetsuit, dive skin or rash guard in order
to prevent most chances of bruising from the "Monica Lewinsky"
treatment.


-hh