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Piranhas at Stingray City??

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Jen

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Apr 2, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/2/99
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Hi everyone!

Hubby and I are going to Grand Cayman on the Tropicale next month and
we've been reading just about everything we can get out hands on about
any of the shore excursions that will be offered. The review I just
read about Stingray City says "not to worry about being bitten by the
rays" cuz they don't have teeth...but then it goes on to say "the
piranhas are the real threat. If you don't give up the food to them,
they'll bite your fingers and hands."
WHAT???!! Piranhas?!?!?!? I'm picturing going into Stingray City with
all limbs intact and coming out with 4 bloody stumps!!!

Anyone been there and seen/been bitten by piranhas?? This is the frist
I've ever heard of them!

Becca

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Apr 2, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/2/99
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Stingray City is a sandbar, there is nothing there but stingrays, and
maybe an occasional yellow jack. There is nothing there to attract
fish, no reefs, no coral, nothing but pure white sand.

Stingrays are nothing to fear, although they may look menacing. They do
not have teeth, but they do have bony plates around their mouth (I think
there is a mother-in-law joke in here somewhere).

Becca <-----wishing I was there...

Barsu

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Apr 2, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/2/99
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What they are referring to are what the locals call the "Caribbean
Piranhas". YES THEY DO EXIST. My friend was bitten in the webbed area of
your hand between the thumb and first finger when she was holding the food
and some was sticking out. The fish wanted it and accidentally bit her. They
may not be in the sandbar area, but we were in the deeper area (snuba diving
15 feet down). They are a dark blue/black fish with blue fins approx. 6
inches long and very aggressive when they want the food. The secret is to
hold all the squid inside your hand with none sticking out. I did this and
had no problems at all but my friend forgot what the dive leader told us and
she paid for it. It wasn't any life threatening injury but it was very sore
for a couple weeks.

Please don't let this discourage you as snorkeling with the stingrays is an
unforgettable experience that you will always be glad you took.

Susan
ba...@msn.com
remove 'nospam' from return address


Jen wrote in message <37058726...@xxxworldnet.att.net>...

Mark Olenski

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Apr 3, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/3/99
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What they might be referring to are yellow tails, they are very
aggressive and will go after any food you have.

Becca wrote:
>
> Stingray City is a sandbar, there is nothing there but stingrays, and
> maybe an occasional yellow jack. There is nothing there to attract
> fish, no reefs, no coral, nothing but pure white sand.
>
> Stingrays are nothing to fear, although they may look menacing. They do
> not have teeth, but they do have bony plates around their mouth (I think
> there is a mother-in-law joke in here somewhere).
>
> Becca <-----wishing I was there...
>
> Jen wrote:
> >

Gregory C. Read

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Apr 3, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/3/99
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I would think that piranhas are a fresh water fish such as in the Amazon
River, etc.

--
Greg
xxxg...@voicenet.com
(Remove the 'xxx' to send Email)


Jen wrote in message <37058726...@xxxworldnet.att.net>...

Shannon Lorenzen

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Apr 3, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/3/99
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Hi there. My husband and I just got back from a cruise on the Tropicale
about three weeks ago. (Boy do I miss it.) The Tropicale is an older
ship so be advised. It is still nice. The food was fantastic and the
cruise dir. was a blast.
We went on the excursion to Sting Ray city and aside from our boat
breaking down, it was great! My husband fed them and didn't see any
strange critters swimming around. I am not an expert, but I don't think
you'll have any problem. Let me know if you want any othe information on
the trip. I would be happy to tell you what we thought of things.
Have Fun!
Shannon
P.S. If you have any problems with anything on the boat, don't hesitate
to bring it to Carnival's attention. We had a couple mishaps and were
more than pleased with the responses we got.


Frank Fuselier

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Apr 3, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/3/99
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Piranhas are fresh water fish. I had a blast at Stingray City in
December..safer than walking around in NYC....

Shannon Lorenzen

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Apr 5, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/5/99
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Jen
I am trying to email you in regards to your questions. I can't do it
for some reason...could be web tv. Do you have another address. Email
me.
Shannon


tandoori

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Apr 5, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/5/99
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In response to:
>Hubby and I are going to Grand Cayman on the Tropicale next month. The

review I just read about Stingray City says "not to worry about being bitten
by the
>rays" cuz they don't have teeth...but then it goes on to say "the
>piranhas are the real threat. If you don't give up the food to them,
>they'll bite your fingers and hands."
>WHAT???!! Piranhas?!?!?!? I'm picturing going into Stingray City with
>all limbs intact and coming out with 4 bloody stumps!!!
>
>Anyone been there and seen/been bitten by piranhas?? This is the frist
>I've ever heard of them!

It is true. In June of 1998, year of the Caribbean Cow, I actually saw a
bovine chomping at the sweet seaweed along the shore just south of Port
Edward on the north east side of the peninsula near where the cat fish
spawn, you know, down near Fishin' Fred's? Well, anyway, as she was munching
the greenery, savoring massive quantities of vitamin C, she slipped a bit
and both front hooves went into the brackish brine up to her knees (or what
we might think of as elbows). Anyway, just then leaping from the brine came
one, then two, then four and like a natural gas fleet in heat out of hell
came scores of the little F#$^&ers, slicing and dicing into her legs, her
neck, her udder, belching gallons of rich red blood for yards onto the soft
white sand. Sort of a shallow remake of the psycho shower scene a la
seascape, ya know? Well, bossie slid a bit further into the watery trap only
to be met with scores and scores of Gillette jabs to the jugglar and down
she went. It was a horrible sight. In ten minutes the steak sandwich was
barely a bony bump in the brackish brine! As I staggered to the site I saw
only too clearly what a monstrous mouthful bossie actually was. I reached
down to retrieve a souvenir horn and snap within an instant the same little
mother&(#&*$er's latched at my arm and within a cows count I was covered
with those sons of Sting Ray sneakers, blood spashing, staining, spilling on
the white waterside dunes.....then I woke up to find a real sting ray
sucking on my toe dangling over the edge of our skiff! A dream? I was shot
the rest of the day. I was dazed sailing all the way back to the friendly
taxi pick up only to be blunderstruck by the strange shaped pile off to the
starboard channel into the $million condo complex. Yes, a mound of recent
cow carnage only bones left to the gulls and the bleaching sun.

Yes, Virginia, don't miss the little fishies swimming with the friendly
Sting Rays. No...they're not Piranha...
hahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walt BECKER

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Apr 5, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/5/99
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BEEN THERE DONE THAT. IT IS AWESOME. NO MAN EATERS,JUST AGREAT ,NO,AN
AWESOME EXPERIENCE. I AM 60 YRS. OLD AND IT WAS STILL GREAT!


Gary Davis

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Apr 6, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/6/99
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The lawyer convention ended last week
no more piranahs at Stingray City

Gary


Antoinette Stine

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Apr 8, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/8/99
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3/96 no problems great SAFE taking grandchildren 5, 3, & 1 next year
live your dreams don't be talked out of them

Toni Stine


Lou and Dawn Stefano

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Apr 10, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/10/99
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Jen:
Stingray City was one of the best, most unique shore excursions I've
experienced on a cruise, and we did not see any piranhas. I don't even
think they're indigenous to the Caymans. Maybe someone meant
barracudas, in which case, they are more afraid of you than you are of
them. They rarely approach humans.

Go on the excursion and have fun. I promise you, it will be the
highlight of your cruise.

Dawn
stef...@gte.net


Stephen Moseler

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Apr 11, 1999, 3:00:00 AM4/11/99
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I missed the original post but I'm throwing in my 2˘ any way.

My wife and I took the Stingray City tour when we sailed the Mercury last
December and we too had a GREAT time! We'll do it again the next we are in
the Cayman Islands. It's a little intimidating at first because many of the
stingrays are large, but they want the food that they know is coming and are
not interested US as food! We saw one barracuda off in the distance but
with all the people and stingrays it didn't come any closer. Saw a few
other small fish that came looking for food so it was a very interesting
time and FUN!

--
Steve Moseler
smos...@cbc.manty.com
"I want to go, where there ain't any
snow...I want to go where it's WARM!" - J. Buffett

Lou and Dawn Stefano wrote in message <7enuls$np2$1...@news-2.news.gte.net>...

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