Is Stingray City on your bucket list? If not, you might consider adding it. This outstanding Grand Cayman scuba diving destination has been a favorite with divers and snorkelers for over 30 years, and the friendly rays that inhabit these warm waters have been featured on the cover of National Geographic, the Wall Street Journal, and numerous scuba diving publications.
New Law Expands Legal Protection for Grand Cayman’s Rays
In the past, Cayman’s local celebrities – namely the stingrays – were protected only in designated Wildlife Interaction Zones, environmental zones, and marine parks. New laws extend protection to all local waters, and covers not just stingrays, but Manta and Eagle rays.
The push for greater protection started out of concern for the rays, gaining rapid momentum as members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association recognized that increasing protection for marine life also safeguards the area’s economy, which relies on visiting divers and snorkelers who come with the specific intent of visiting Stingray City.
Steve Broadbelt, who is co-founder of Ocean Frontiers, told reporters that “Many have tried to copy Stingray City, others have even tried to poach and export our Southern Stingrays, but nothing comes close to the wild aggregations of Stingrays we have in the Cayman Islands. Stingrays are critical to tourism in Cayman as it gives us a competitive edge over other destinations in the region – everybody loves Stingrays.”
The friendly rays at Stingray City are bottom feeders that were initially attracted to the area by local fishermen who would clean their catches in the shallows of North Sound. Divemasters noticed the rays circling and started feeding them, making friends and dispelling negative myths surrounding rays at the same time. Soon, Stingray City was famous – and when Al Roker dove there in 1989, the site’s fame grew.
“It’s a natural aquarium, not man-made. No stingrays are caught and kept in captivity, so it’s authentic and the rays come and go as they please,” Nancy Easterbrook of Divetech said. “In addition to playing with the gentle southern stingrays, green moray eels will visit you, schools of blue tangs and snappers and small coral head reveal their inhabitants if you stop and look closely. In 12 feet of crystal clear water, it’s the ideal photographers dream – no wonder millions have visited the site over the years and it has a special place in their dive logs.”
Strict rules enacted in 2007 help manage traffic at Stingray City, and dive operators provide detailed briefings before each encounter. “Our briefings cover the highlights of the marine conservation laws as applicable to the Wildlife Interaction Zones including why the regulations make sense, so people understand how to safely enjoy the ‘aquarium’ for both their protection and the Stingrays protection,” says Broadbelt. “In general we tell guests to watch and observe the rays rather than molest or annoy them.”
An annual species census by conservationist Guy Harvey, with oversight and assistance from the Department of Environment, helps to monitor the rays’ health and dynamics. 90 stingrays frequent the area, most of which are female, and many of which are pregnant. So far, 48 new rays have been tagged with microchips.
Grand Cayman offers an excellent variety of dive experiences, with sites that feature vibrant coral and stunning walls, but only at this shallow site will you encounter so many rays. The encounters you’ll experience at Stingray City are magical – and with better protection in place, we hope future divers will find the rays as abundant and as healthy as ever.