Sting Rays

[RobSwift]

What are the chances of stepping on a Ray in Fla. or Australia?

[Del Carpenter]

Shark Alley near San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize is a place you can go to see and get close enough to touch some rays and nurse sharks. We were there in December 2000. Its a regular trip for snorkelers from San Pedro. I think the boat we went on left from the pier where Sailsports Belize is located. My first experience on a wideboard was on a GO rented from Sailsports Belize.
http://www.ambergriscaye.com/sailsports/

[WSguy]

Thanks for not answering the question. Who cares about Belize?

[Goomba]

Came in from my session today, stepped of my board in the shallows and a ray took off 6ft away, scared the poo outa me

Like sharks, they're out there, but it's generally riskier driving to the beach

Alby

[luison]

Dunno what the chances are, but the other day that aussie crocodile bushtacka man was killed when a ray stung him on the chest. He was not windsurfing when it happened, probably anoying the animal, but all the same!!!!!!!!

[WSguy]

Actually, I stepped on a horseshoe crab (it has a tail like a ray, but doesn't sting with it) this summer, but the biggest damage I've suffered was from a rusted piece of junk.

[Ricbra]

I do not know what the chances are but I think they?re pretty small.
However I do remember of a girl who stepped on a small sting ray when she was about to beach start for a regatta in Fl. That happened in 93 or 94 and I also remember that getting healed took her a couple of months of pain and fever. Apparently not many physicians knew how to treat that.

[steveC]

The situation with Steve Irwin was truely tragic. He was crossed up in a very unusual way, and the result is quite sad overall, especially given his environment focus on life. But, fate can be a tough balance for any of us.

A friend of mind was sting in the leg by a stingray on the central coast of California, and it had a profound affect on her life. The affect was both immediate and long term in its affect. Lots of nerve issues that are tough to overcome. I think that stingrays are worthy of significant respect and caution.

The ocean has many hidden obstacles, and outcomes that can be quite sobering in nature, even to those who are quite experienced.

Life can be a fragile thing, even when we are super tough.

[WSguy]

Ricbra wrote:
Apparently not many physicians knew how to treat that.

Well, that seems to answer the question. Also, the fact that you remember an incident that long ago might be rather indicative of how rare these attacks are. On a lighter note, the chances of getting into a collision on the road to the shore from Tallahasee would prabably be less than that of getting stung there by a ray. It's a long drive, and I don't remember seeing another vehicle when I did it.

[JimD]

I got stung by a Ray when I came in from windsurfing in Miami. Didn't even know what happend at first...thought I stepped on sharp object at first. It hurt like crap, but you get rid of the pain by soaking it in warm water (which is what they did when I went to the hospital). No pills, no anti venoms, just soaking is the cure for the pain. I had a bootie on, and it went right through the bootie but the stinger did not lodge. If this happens, you can get your bone infected and lots of bad stuff stems from that. They give you an anti-biotic, which, thinking I was all better, I stopped taking prematurely. The thing then became so infected I was afraid to look at it and I had to go back. The ones here, for the most part, are smaller, 3-4 feet that I have seen, but if a big one got you in the heart...whoa.....the poison definitely spreads as it went up to my groin, but seemed to stop there.

Do the stingray shuffle, and you will not get stung while walking. I was right next to about 20-25 people standing 20 feet from shore, so it can happen anywhere.