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Post by Aeron Serabien on May 19, 2006 11:57:06 GMT -5
I was swimming with Stingrays! These were wild stingrays who come in for a free meal from the tourists. This was an incredible experience, getting to hold and pet them. The tour company had a professional photographer on board and we did the tourist thing and bought the pictures. The CD just arrived. So.... for your viewing pleasure, here's me and a stingray!  |
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Post by Aerynrox on May 19, 2006 12:46:57 GMT -5
That is SO cool! I would love to swim with and pet stingrays. It kind of looks like you might be KISSING that stingray. Was he your favorite?  Sometimes I get a little worried, though, for tame animals. They don't know better than to trust each human being equally. My parents went on a cruise where you could swim with seals. They did not, and were glad because the seals got rough and actually bit a couple of people who ended up having to get medical attention. |
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Post by Aeron Serabien on May 19, 2006 12:56:01 GMT -5
I WAS kissing the stingray. It's one of the poses the silly camera guy has you do. But man, that stingray was super soft!
I have concerns about the whole "swim with the X" tourist attractions. These are wild creatures that are used to VAST habitats and totally different conditions then a small pool. That's why I stayed away from the dolphin attractions, much as I'd love to interact with a dolphin 1 on 1. What really made this amazing is that this is a natural sandbar that the rays have been coming to for generations because fishing boats used to drop their fish garbage overboard here. Now, it's tourists feeding them squid parts. And the rays come and go of their own according. They wouldn't be able to hurt you if they tried unless you did something stupid like grab and pull their stinging tail. Mostly they just swim away if they feel threatened.
This is not to say it wasn't scary at first having the rays rub up against your leg like a cat or dog.
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Post by kelkhil on May 19, 2006 13:10:29 GMT -5
I have concerns about the whole "swim with the X" tourist attractions. Hey X how'd ya get a cool gig like that? I don't know that I would want to swim with ya but it must be pretty cool for all the ladies out there. Minus the cold water with what it does and all. |
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Post by Indagatrix on May 19, 2006 15:13:25 GMT -5
Hey X how'd ya get a cool gig like that? I don't know that I would want to swim with ya but it must be pretty cool for all the ladies out there. Minus the cold water with what it does and all. LMFAO! hmmmm maybe he isn't going to california for a conference...maybe he's going to "swim". --- Also Aeron -- kick ass photo  |
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Post by Aerynrox on May 19, 2006 15:17:53 GMT -5
This is not to say it wasn't scary at first having the rays rub up against your leg like a cat or dog. Does it feel anything like when a black moa rubs up against your leg? That was scary for me at first, but then I grew to love it. Lasher is always careful not to rub too hard. Sometimes he rubs me to warn of danger when the hostiles are too close for him to vocalize. Other times, he just wants me to know he's there and ready should I need him. Laaaaassshhhherrrr! I'm coming to get you soon.  |
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