Surf and Bay Ray Dangers

[Sam]

[ffemtreed]

I have also heard that soaking the wound with vinegar works for helping to control the pain. Not sure how true it is, might be a ole'wives tale, but it certainly can't hurt to try it.

[ocsnapper]

I have also heard that soaking the wound with vinegar works for helping to control the pain. Not sure how true it is, might be a ole'wives tale, but it certainly can't hurt to try it.

Just ask Sam he knows first hand..

[Mighty Quinn]

Sam.......Very, very good post. Just last Sunday we were clamming just south of the Assateague bridge in about 2ft of clear water when I walked up on a stingray. Definately a southern stingray, not a skate and not a cownose. I actually saw the tail before I saw the rest of the body. I told my wife and sister in law to stop right away. I continued towards it and when I got within 6-8 ft and it swam away. We have done lots of clamming in this area in the past and I've seen skates and cownose rays swimming amonst us but this is the first stingray I can recall and it was just sitting on the bottom. Concerns me because I have children with me when we are clamming. I need to come up with an idea on how to get hot water out in the boat. This year is different, more jellies, horseshoe crabs and warmer then usual bay waters. Finally, just a couple of weeks ago there was a report out of Delaware about three people in the back bays getting stung by rays.

[Sam]

I also grew up clamming with my dad in the Assawoman bay. I don't ever remember being able to see what was on the bottom. I could see "stuff" but whether is was grass or green glass, I had to feel around with my feet to know.

I did some pretty active swimming in the bay as a kid and I'm lucky I never accidentally tangled with any of those critters by myself. Now that I think about it, I remember hearing stories about "stingrays" and how they could "whip you with their tail" but that seemed as unlikely as a shark attack considering my dad had never been "ray whipped".

Well, I suppose if we mess around enough without learning from those who know better, fail to respect whatever it is we confused, disrupted, squashed, hooked or threaten, everyone ends up with a story sooner or later....

[Sam]

Just ask Sam he knows first hand..

Actually, "right hand".

[Sam]

I have also heard that soaking the wound with vinegar works for helping to control the pain. Not sure how true it is, might be a ole'wives tale, but it certainly can't hurt to try it.

I don't know... Vinegar is very acidic, but you could be right. If I remember correctly the hot water helps speed up a counter protein and immediately relieves the pain... I'm gonna have to look it up again, but I remember hot air works too.

[ffemtreed]

I did some Google searching and it seems my vinegar thing is for jelly fish stings.

Any volunteers want to test it out on a string ray wound?

[Steve]

I'm going to keep a container of vinegar in the truck just in case.
I hope it solidifies before I would have a need for it.

As for hot water, it's simple!!!!
Just buy a couple of those instant heat smack packs. Hopefully that'll last you long enough to get to the hospital. Beats keeping hot water around, and how would you apply water (or hot rag) if you had to do the driving? Maybe keep a hot pack and Ace bandage to strap it on you for the drive.

Perhaps keeping water shoes on would keep SOME of the stings from happening in the first place.

Well, I suppose you could hold a lighter to the sting.

[Grossy]

Of one of those barbed tail spears going through my calf makes me shiver. I landed a sizable ray in South Nags Head in June, his tail seemed to a bit longer than his body, and he was not happy about being on the end of a hook. He was whipping it around like a swordsman. Needless to say, I cut the line as close as I dare get to him. Ended up jinxing the rest of the week.

[Sam]

What I do now is just have a buddy (if I've got one with me) grab the end of the tail with a rag and then the ray can be dealt with much easier.

Using non-stainless, circle hooks will be much better for the ray and instead of a permanent hook in the throat, which will kill it, it will just have a temporary lip ring.

[scavengerj]

I've always done the sting ray shuffle whenever wading in any of the bays. I don't take steps. I never lift my feet but slide them along "bumping" them out of the way instead of stepping on them. If the water isn't too deep a pair of rubber boots will help with not only them, but any jellies or crabs too.

DMS #525
OBPA

[Sam]

I would assume most would move out of the way and are aware of your presence long before you are.

Last year I took my kayak out and the water was very clear that day. Soon after gliding through the first set of breakers, I saw dozens of southern stingrays scurrying through the water to get out of the way. It was a pretty cool sight.

[fishin'girl422]

What I do now is just have a buddy (if I've got one with me) grab the end of the tail with a rag and then the ray can be dealt with much easier.

If we are ever around when you catch a ray - I'll vote to give Jimmy this job!!

[_4Runner_]

I would assume most would move out of the way and are aware of your presence long before you are.

Last year I took my kayak out and the water was very clear that day. Soon after gliding through the first set of breakers, I saw dozens of southern stingrays scurrying through the water to get out of the way. It was a pretty cool sight.

Every year down in the OuterBanks we would rent a kayak for a week or two, and there is nothing cooler than when stingrays decide to swim on the surface with you, they'll follow you for a good period of time.