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Stingray City and Sandbar Get You R-e-a-ll-y Close to NatureDon't miss Stingray City and Sandbar whatever you do. They're great! 
The stingrays are like boisterous puppies jostling to be fed and petted. Our group on the catamaran found their exuberance disconcerting at first but soon loosened up and before long people were lining up to take a stingray from the arms of the guide.
When you first step into the sea at Sandbar, the waves buffeting and the sand shifting underfoot make you uneasy. What if you accidentally step or fall on a stingray? What if one of them just gets plain mad at you? The stingrays have no such inhibitions. They're used to people, thousands visit every year, and they press around you like you were their long-lost parent.
Feeding them is different - different from any other animal I've ever fed anyhow. The guide explains the technique before you enter the water and it really is simple. Hold the piece of squid, which is their favorite food, in your fist like you would a bouquet of flowers, leaving a half inch or so sticking out to whet their appetite. The stingray swims across your outstretched, upright hand and sucks the squid out from your grasp. The first time may make you jump but after that it's fine.
Even if the thought of swimming alongside stingrays doesn't appeal, I'd still recommend the trip. We sailed out of Rum Point on the Red Sails catamaran and the sun, smooth sea inside the reef and sightseeing were worth the trip even without the up-close and personal part. Our cruise had a number of people on board who didn't get in the water for stingrays or snorkeling along the reef and they still liked the trip. The catamaran has a bar and sunlounging netting for that poolside feel. You can book your Stingray City or Sandbar trip before you leave home through Expedia, paying for it in your local currency and avoiding the hassle of booking when you get there, or wait until you get to Grand Cayman where your resort Information Center will have discounted tickets as does the Activity Guide (www.CaymanActivityGuide.com), a monthly publication telling you what's on in Cayman during your stay. You might find it cheaper to use the discounted local prices.
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Their nudging doesn't make you feel any safer until you realize they're as gentle as lambs. The soft skin of their underside slides fluidly across yours while their upper, rougher skin rubs like soft leather. Knowing they have no teeth only adds to your growing comfort and confidence.
