13 replies to this topic

[loftus]

This has to be rare as hen's teeth!
http://www.foxnews.c...,222381,00.html

[Giles]

Thats unbelievable .. i am trying to find other stories ... I would put money on the fact that the stingray did not jump on his boat and was indeed dragged onto his boat with fishing line !

I wonder how this one will affect Stingray City tourism now !

[wagsy]

Yes I was thinking the same. Fishing...but the media would not say that...just milk it for what they can.....

[bmyates]

Thats unbelievable .. i am trying to find other stories ... I would put money on the fact that the stingray did not jump on his boat and was indeed dragged onto his boat with fishing line !

I agree, although I suppose the stingray was trying to escape a predator (all sorts of critters will leap out of the water as a last resort). BTW, am I mistaken, or is the photo in the article not even a stingray, but a cownose ray?

[Giles]

I agree, although I suppose the stingray was trying to escape a predator (all sorts of critters will leap out of the water as a last resort).

I've seen Eagle Rays jump out of the water, and even seen some Manta photos of them jumping out of the water (i'd post them if they were mine) and even though that is true and possible, I really can't see that happening, it's got to be 1 in a gazillion chance

BTW, am I mistaken, or is the photo in the article not even a stingray, but a cownose ray?

A cow nose ray is a type of ray that can indeed sting.

[Ryan]

Local reports said he was motoring up the intercoastal when the ray jumped in the boat... Not much fishing in the ICW.

[james]

I've seen mantas and mobulas jump, and I think cow-nosed rays jump too. Who knows which kind of ray actually jumped in the guys boat - all the articles just say "stingray" and they have a different stock photo of a different ray for each article, LOL! I think one was even a freshwater ray from the amazon.

Cheers
James

[UWphotoNewbie]

These reporters have no clue. Look here on CNN:

CNN Story

Here they show a blue spotted stingray which I think only lives in the pacific.

Who knows? But I have myself seen southern stingrays and eagle rays jump out of the water all by themselves. So I suppose its possible. Pretty slim chance though.

Has the whole Crocodile hunter episode really hurt Stingray City tourism? As cheesy and touristy as it is I've gotta say that it was one of my all time best dive memories.

A cownose ray does have s spine and live in Florida though. See: Cownose Ray Sung John Smith at Jamestown

Edited by UWphotoNewbie, 19 October 2006 - 07:30 AM.

[Giles]

These reporters have no clue. Look here on CNN:
CNN Story

After watching the video .. it's not a cownosed ray, nor a common stingray it looks like a small round spots on it eagle ray .. which correct me if I am wrong .. but isn't that a Bonnet Ray or Aetobatus which are kinda small .. and there is no way the ray in the video was 5ft wing span.

Has the whole Crocodile hunter episode really hurt Stingray City tourism? As cheesy and touristy as it is I've gotta say that it was one of my all time best dive memories.

Yes the boats are empty most of the time there now .. the numbers are very low .. even though it is Low season it is normally a lot busier. We have even been told by the cruise ship tour sales people that they are having people who pre booked cancelled.

[ce4jesus]

"Yes the boats are empty most of the time there now .. the numbers are very low .. even though it is Low season it is normally a lot busier. We have even been told by the cruise ship tour sales people that they are having people who pre booked cancelled."

If its your time to go, you can cancel all you want and just get hit by a bus. Live life to the fullest, make no excuses and don't whine on your way out!

[Photobeat]

The media is just so ridiculous is unreal, they make it sound like the thing jumped on the boat with a knife and stabbed the guy. The boat was a low profile jet boat, a jetski engine type yamaha or ski-doo I think. The guy picked it up to throw it back and I think it must have fell into him the wrong way and defense mechanisim barb got him. He was like 80 years old and still drove the boat back to his house as he was with younger grandchildren who could not take the boat back or get help.

[Walt Stearns]

The “stingray attack” here in Florida was an eagle ray that did jump into the boat. The big surprise here is this type of event is not that rare, particularly in south Florida and the Keys. I personally know three boaters – two of which are flats guides - that have had an eagle land in the boat while it was free jumping. Ray goes air borne in front of a fast running boat, ray lands in boat instead of water.

Now as too how this last guy got hit in the chest is a bit of a question. At first it was said he tried to pick the ray up to throw it back over the side and got stabbed. Didn’t know eagle rays have barbs (as many as five, two to three is more typical). Now they’re saying it stab him in mid flight. Go figure.

[Drew]

An update on the "ray encounter"

http://www.sun-senti...la-news-broward

I think the eagle ray is a copy cat stinger, trying to gain notoriety for other rays species.
Really though this guy was lucky not to have tried to pull it out.

[DeanB]

Revenge of the animals...

Dive safe

DeanB