Date: 21 May 97 19:50:57 EDT
From: Gene Gruender <104675.2134@compuserve.com>
Subject: Stingray City

Everyone,

We're now at Stingray City. Stingray City is a location in the North Sound where the sting rays are tame. They play with you, rug you, eat out of your hands and will demand to be played with. We have had as many as 15 around us at once, gliding around, brushing and playing. We brought some squid to feed them and tempt them. It works!

The water here is crystal clear and it's inside of a reef system, so it's pretty calm also. We didn't have a particular plan when we came, but just decided to just spend the night.

We've been here since just after lunch time and have watched dive boat after dive boat full of tourists come in to swim with the sting rays. It's sort of funny - all you have to do is jump into the water, sting rays show up. Since the tourists pay from $30 to $45 for a couple hour trip, 20 to 50 to a boat, they must think they have to do a little more to justify it. So .... they give lessons on the boats, complete with a stuffed stingray. Imagine, showing people how to pet the back of a stingray, using a stuffed stingray? Then half of them squeal when a stingray actually comes up and rubs them. Oh, well.

By the way, I tried Compuserve's 800 number here, the one they told me also wouldn't work in Cayman? Yep, went right through. Now all I have to do is find a phone connection to let the computer do the dialing. It maybe another job for the acoustical coupler.

Gene Gruender
George Town, Grand Cayman