string ray club

[digum smacks]

i know a few of us belong to the sting ray club. goldenwater ,florida bill,myself,joined the club.contrary to popular belief winter time is the worst for sting rays.it isnt those brown looking rary "bat ray".but its that transparent little@#$% thats the killer.when the water cools off the rays become sluggish and dont want to move so shuffling doesnt do any good.instead of moving they just raise that barb and bam make you move. heres a pic of mine and fl. bills i believe back in 2008.mine still hurts till this day.

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

Bummer I hate those things... some huge ones in Mosquito Lagoon, especially when your flounder giggin at night you would be surprised how many you see.

 

[Diver_Down]

Yup, I still have my scar on the side of my left foot. It is in nearly the same spot as the top photo.

 

[mlayers]

Man that wold make you cuss.....Matt

 

[Les West Central Fl]

I know the feeling well, I've been Barbed 5 times. One time at Coquina Beach the barb was stuck to the side of my foot and the large sting ray was pulling on my foot while trying to swim away, thank god the barb finally pulled loose.

If you put your foot in a bucket with hot water and a half cup of bleach it will help take the pain away and cleans the wound.

 

[FloridaBill]

LOL You had to remind me Dave

 

[John (west central FL)]

I've been hit once and I sure hope it was the last time. It got me in the little toe and my foot was swollen for a week. I could feel it for a year every morning when I'd first put weight on that foot. Thanks for the reminder. I'll keep shuffling!

 

[Chi Town Bruce]

How about Ray boots? Is there one made that works?

Were you vets. careless? or just just lucky.

 

[Diver_Down]

How about Ray boots? Is there one made that works?

Were you vets. careless? or just just lucky.

In my case, I was just careless and unlucky. The tides weren't cooperating that day. I was just there for a quick hunt in the wet sand perhaps an hour at most. Well, the surf was still quiet and the wet sand hadn't yielded much so the water beckoned me. I had no intention of hunting the surf that day, but I ducked in for a quick scan. I was tagged on my left foot, and I still have the scar/mark to show for it.

 

[Montauk3]

I guess my wearing ray guards all the time doesn't make me a sissy.

It seems to me that most of the pics I have seen of barbed folks are of the lower foot.

Does anyone else use guards all the time? Let us know.

Ralph

 

[fladiverdown]

I was jetting in pilings in a canal in South Florida. A huge Stingray must of thought I was attractive because it would not leave me alone. I may have been stirring up a food source or something but when you are trying to concentrate on a potentially dangerous job it can be a bit disconcerting.

Another incident occurred while I was a lifeguard. A couple of kids were horsing around, wrestling in shallow water and one of the boys got barbed right in the back. The hole left by the Ray was the size of a dime. EMS arrived within minutes but that poor kid was in terrible pain.

Water as hot as you are able to tolerate and bleach or chlorine will help.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I see them (and stepped on two but no "tag") all the time on the West side, cant say I have seen one on the east side yet.. I wonder why that is?
Last time to FMB, they were all over the place. Had one strike my shaft hard enough to almost make me drop the detector.. I usually hit them with the coil if they dont scurry away first..
I guess it is a good idea to make sure you sweep with the coil making sure you are actually making contact with the bottom while doing so. AND, make sure you cover the bottom really well in front of you while walking and swinging..

Just curious Dave, why did you post this now? I was thinking you got hit again... Glad you didnt buddy..

 

[wrecker]

Mine looks just like the top photo. Got stung when on a beach in a remote area in the Dominican Republic, no access to hot water for neutralizing the venom. Driving the truck back home with that foot was all but funny.

 

[erikk]

I guess my wearing ray guards all the time doesn't make me a sissy.

It seems to me that most of the pics I have seen of barbed folks are of the lower foot.

Does anyone else use guards all the time? Let us know.

Ralph

Pretty much and Kevlar boots too all the time at FMB Problem is Chota stopped making the boots and mine are held together with Goop

 

[digum smacks]

chris the reason why im posting this now,because someone on here asked about rays, and its getting that time of year to watch out and take percautions

 

[aquanut]

I got hit on the top of the foot in Ocean City, Maryland about 45 years ago and can still remember how bad it hurt. The pain and swelling was immediate and did prevent me from driving. You definitely want to avoid getting hit by a stingray, it ain't like a bee sting!!!
Aquanut

 

[FloridaBill]

I got hit on the top of the foot in Ocean City, Maryland about 45 years ago and can still remember how bad it hurt. The pain and swelling was immediate and did prevent me from driving. You definitely want to avoid getting hit by a stingray, it ain't like a bee sting!!!
Aquanut

That's for sure, thank god Pete (erikk) was driving because I don't think I could have. We had the truck heater on full bore with my foot up under it for the ride home. That in itself wasn't much fun on a 80 degree day in Florida but it worked...

 

[KEYSHUNTER]

dont forget the croc guy Steve was killed a few years ago