Spotted Eagle Ray

Steve S · Post by **Steve S** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:23 pm

What do you think about that spotted eagle ray leaping into the boat in Florida last week? Pretty freaky, eh? I was swimming after one at Waterlemon this past spring when in stopped and turned slightly to look at me and then kept going... needless to say I stopped the pursuit there. Those eagle ray tails are loooong.

sea-nile · Post by **sea-nile** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:45 pm

I didn't hear about that incident.
My husband and I were snorkeling in Key Largo in 2004 and 2 giant spotted eagle rays swam right next to us.
They WERE huge and freaked me out! I wish I had a picture of it It was just one of those moments that we will never forget.

jimw · Post by **jimw** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:56 pm

I've seen rays jump out of the water while sailing. I've heard the theory that they are trying to knock off parasites or they're being chased by a predator.
I've also been told by back country (Islamorada, FL) fishing charter captains that rays landing into boats does happen.

Ocean View · Post by **Ocean View** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:17 am

Hello VI friends! I have been reading everyones posts for a while now and decided to join. My husband and I travel down to STJ every year about this time of year. We are not able to go this year, so I have been here looking at all the great pictures and enjoying all the trip reports. I am going to attempt to share a picture I took a few years ago at Waterlemon of a spotted eagle ray...
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/93845125@N ... 59948/[img]

Ocean View · Post by **Ocean View** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:22 am

I am going to try one more time...

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:37 am

Here's mine

One of my favorite snorkeling shots. My wife
with puckery fingers from being in the water so long:

liamsaunt · Post by **liamsaunt** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 12:58 pm

Here is a picture of an eagle ray that I took at Waterlemon. Bob and Anita fixed the photo to make it so clear--I still have not figured out how to do that myself:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/198486100/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/59/198486100_1b7d53766c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="bob and anitas eagle ray enhancement"></a>

On this same trip, when we were at Francis, we saw a ray leap completely out of the water. We swam over to see if we could see why it did that, and found it surrounded by lots of little fish--maybe they were bothering the ray or something.

St. John Lover · Post by **St. John Lover** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:51 am

Wow--thank you all so much for those awesome pictures. I saw my first spotted ray last May in St. John--it was so beautiful. Thanks for the memories...

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