Swimming with Sting Rays

June 13, 16, 2014

Near the Intercontinental Hotel in Moorea is a spot where they have fed the sting rays (and sharks) so much they have become “tame.”  I put tame in quotes, because they really aren’t tame, but rather conditioned that people bring you food, so they aren’t afraid of people, and they aren’t much interested in stinging their food bearers.  The first time we went was when Andrew was with us, and since we weren’t entirely sure what the deal was, we didn’t bring any chum or anything.  When we pulled up and anchored the dinghy there were already a couple of tour boats there, but that was OK, because there seemed to be enough sting rays to go around.  I think Alex was the first one in the water, and wow, are those sting rays “trained.”  They were on him in about 2 seconds, blanketing him and waiting for some tasty treats.  They swarmed him for a while before they got bored, and one by one the boys got in to get their turn getting swarmed.  I opted out of this because it is my preference to experience nature as an observer, not as a participant.  I most certainly did not want to be blanketed by sting rays.  If they would just swim around me ignoring me that would be great.  It’s exactly like I don’t want dogs jumping on me.  Anyway, everyone had a great time swimming with the rays and also the sharks who have learned to get into the action while the rays are getting fed.  Tim, Alex, and Brenden enjoyed it so much that they did it a second time with Lady Carolina a few days later (Andrew had already gone home).   However, this time they were more prepared, and Tim speared some small fish on the way in order to have something to feed the rays and keep them more interested. 

A few months later we were talking to a friend who had also swam with the sting rays in Moorea, and he shared an amusing tidbit that there were some tourists there talking and one of the girls asserted that the sting rays had their stingers removed.  What!?  Where did she think she was.  No, the stingers are perfectly intact.  This isn’t the land of regulation and litigation.  This isn’t the land of mommy government taking care of you.  Here you can swim with sting rays if you want to, but you have to respect the fact that they are still wild animals that *can* be dangerous at times and you have to take responsibility for your actions and whatever happens to you.