Antiqua

The highlight of this visit was going to Stingray City.  It sounds very touristy – and it was – but it was also a very well run operation where they carefully managed the interactions with the stingrays. We really enjoyed the experience.  Following a short van ride we arrived in a park-like area, where Julie quickly noticed blooming red flowers that had an incredible aroma.  I appreciate that she naturally sees and wants to take a moment to actually smell the roses. The guide gathered the group and described how we would interact with the stingrays by using a stingray stuffed animal. We learned the females are much bigger than the males and to tell the difference between a young female and a male, the males have their reproductive organs near the base of their tail.  When the time came to see if that were true, I never looked close enough to make a determination.  The group of about 40 people settled into three different boats and took a quick trip to a docking area located in a very shallow area.  We put on a mask and snorkel (no fins) and it was like entering the area on a pool ladder, except you were descending to a permanent sand bar in the ocean.  The water was probably 3-4 feet deep in most areas so you could easily stand up.  The guides were handling a couple of the Rays and we got a picture of us holding a ray together.  Later on we had the opportunity to individually hold a ray.  They are very soft and their skin feels velvety and has a thin protective slippery coating.  They were also all muscle, kind of like a snake.  During the interaction we also had the opportunity to feed them a small squid.   As the guide told us, it was like a hoover vacuum when they sucked up their meal, so they made it clear you wanted a closed fist, with you thumb inside, otherwise you would experience a stingray hickey.   Although the stingrays were the main attraction do not neglect the natural coral reef in the same location; it was teaming with marine life all its own. Upon returning back to land and drinking the obligatory rum punch(or 3) we headed back to the city. We walked over to Saint John’s Cathedral, which was built in the 1840s, and then called it a day.

Stingray City visit was booked through our Cruise Ship, MSC Seaside