Rays in Eastern Lake outlet

**NotDeadYet** · 04-30-2008, 05:08 PM

I was walking by the Eastern Lake outlet today, and I saw two small rays in the outlet, which is not open to the Gulf right now. I guess they have been in there since the last time it opened up. One of them came right up to the edge of the water and looked at me. I swear, I could read its mind. WTF? Can I go home now?

Then a shadow caught my attention, and I looked up. A hawk was circling the dunes. Such a pretty day there today.

**TreeFrog** · 04-30-2008, 07:04 PM

Green with envy. I walk by there almost daily and rarely see anything moving around, unless it's open and critters are getting washed out.

**Mango** · 04-30-2008, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by NotDeadYet

I was walking by the Eastern Lake outlet today, and I saw two small rays in the outlet, which is not open to the Gulf right now. I guess they have been in there since the last time it opened up. One of them came right up to the edge of the water and looked at me. I swear, I could read its mind. WTF? Can I go home now?

Then a shadow caught my attention, and I looked up. A hawk was circling the dunes. Such a pretty day there today.

We had the same happen to us. Pretty cool. I have pictures. I need to find them. I didn't know until 4 years ago that some rays are both freshwater and ocean water dwellers.

**Beachbummett** · 04-30-2008, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Mango

We had the same happen to us. Pretty cool. I have pictures. I need to find them. I didn't know until 4 years ago that some rays are both freshwater and ocean water dwellers.

Post pics please.

That is so cool.

DD · 04-30-2008, 09:53 PM

Wish I could have seen this.

**30A Skunkape** · 04-30-2008, 10:16 PM

I hear they are actually quite tasty

**Mango** · 04-30-2008, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Beachbummett

Post pics please.

That is so cool.

Finally found it.

DD · 04-30-2008, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by 30A Skunkape

I hear they are actually quite tasty

Originally Posted by Mango

Finally found it.

**Smiling JOe** · 04-30-2008, 11:01 PM

I hear that Rays make good dinner for Hawks.

I didn't see any Rays today, but I did see a small shark swim right up to the beach around sunset. A guy had just packed up his fishing gear from that very spot. He was going out in the water to cast past the sandbar, then come back in to wait from shore. They caught a Lady Fish, and maybe the shark was still picking up on a little blood in the water. Couldn't tell what kind it was, but it was maybe only 5-6 ft long, judging my the distance between the fins. No pics, as the shark was gone before I got my camera out of my pocket.

**RYNO** · 05-01-2008, 10:05 AM

It is always very cool to see ocean life when you least expect it. Here is a small leopard ray (that I have never seen before) that we found while snorkeling on the 2nd sandbar last summer! It was a cute little guy. I brought him in to show people on the beach and released him back.

Anybody else ever seen one of these?

**ShallowsNole** · 05-01-2008, 10:30 AM

Don't forget that, as beautiful as rays are, they will sting (or whatever it is they do to you when you step on them) the living snot out of you if they feel threatened. It hasn't happened to me personally, but it has to a friend of mine, in the bay. He likened it to stepping into a pile of white-hot charcoal, having it run up your leg, and not being able to get out.

Be careful, and keep the kids and pets away!

**RYNO** · 05-01-2008, 10:40 AM

It is true that stingrays sting, but not all rays sting or have the ability to. It is definitely very smart to "shuffle" your feet while walking in areas that rays may be prevalent so to scare them away before you step down on them! I feel sorry for your friend who got stung, and hope I never do, but it doesn't keep me out of the water!

**SWGB** · 05-01-2008, 05:40 PM

I'd watch out since they have recently been stabbing people in the hearts or flying out of the water to get folks.

**Lady D** · 05-01-2008, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by RYNO

It is always very cool to see ocean life when you least expect it. Here is a small leopard ray (that I have never seen before) that we found while snorkeling on the 2nd sandbar last summer! It was a cute little guy. I brought him in to show people on the beach and released him back.

Anybody else ever seen one of these?

This tiny leopard ray is cute. I've had a large sting ray come up out of the sand about 3 feet in front of me and swim out into the gulf at Shell Island a few years back.

**organicmama** · 05-01-2008, 09:38 PM

At Stingray City off Grand Cayman, I was actually talked into/forced into the water with stingrays.

It was weird. My older brother was dumb enough to pick them up out of the water to see their mouths. I lasted about 10 minutes and shuffled my tooshie back into the boat. Never again and that was 15 years ago.

**kurt** · 05-02-2008, 09:49 PM

DD · 05-02-2008, 09:50 PM

OMG!! That's my OTHER favorite picture!!!

**kurt** · 05-02-2008, 09:51 PM

**kurt** · 05-02-2008, 09:51 PM

DD · 05-02-2008, 09:52 PM

**kurt** · 05-02-2008, 09:52 PM

**Jdarg** · 05-02-2008, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by kurt

**Mango** · 05-02-2008, 10:01 PM

Awesome.

**Beachbummett** · 05-02-2008, 10:49 PM

These picture are so incredible Kurt, thank you! Can I find these on your link? I don't remember seeing them before.

**kurt** · 05-02-2008, 11:04 PM

Thanks!

http://www.sowal.com/photos-101005.html

**aggieb** · 05-02-2008, 11:23 PM

always enjoy looking at the photos.

the dog picture is grayt.

**NotDeadYet** · 05-03-2008, 07:38 AM

What grayt photos! Thanks, Kurt and RYNO.

**RiverOtter** · 05-03-2008, 09:45 AM

Aaaaahhhhhh nature

........ maybe one of your best photos yet

Originally Posted by kurt

**Smiling JOe** · 05-03-2008, 10:19 AM

Stingrays are cute and the pics are incredible, but as a reminder to you all, they are wild animals and best left untouched.

**RYNO** · 05-03-2008, 10:46 AM

Kurt,
Your pictures are awesome! It looks like that sting ray wanted a lil attention, just like your dog would!

**Will B** · 05-03-2008, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by organicmama

At Stingray City off Grand Cayman, I was actually talked into/forced into the water with stingrays.

It was weird. My older brother was dumb enough to pick them up out of the water to see their mouths. I lasted about 10 minutes and shuffled my tooshie back into the boat. Never again and that was 15 years ago.

Stingray City is an amazing experience! I've been there twice. You pull up, and within 30 seconds there are hundreds around the boat. They will eat right off of your hand. Odd thing, though. They like to chew on your hair. Very odd sensation...

It's all conditioned behavior. They equate the people with getting fed so they don't feel threatened in any way...

**mikecatadjuster** · 05-10-2008, 09:05 PM

To those of you stating that the sting ray is a wild animal, and trying to strike fear into our hearts, this is simply a mis-statement. They are actually quite domesticated and are owned by the larger Manta-ray. This relationship and breeding program is thought to have originated somewhere in the Crustacean period. They may be a danger, but only because they are trying to protect their owners. For us to get along with them, we must first understand their role and not indescriminately label them as 'wild'. Thank you.

**iwishiwasthere** · 05-11-2008, 07:20 AM

Love the pics...thanks for posting them.

The top photo looks like heaven. It may be a new background.

**Smiling JOe** · 05-11-2008, 10:19 AM

What are you smoking? "Wild" doesn't always equate to dangerous. They are wild animals, living in the wild, just like the sharks. I don't say this to scare people out of the water, but just to note caution should always be taken when being outside of your normal environment, playing with animals with which you are unfamiliar. You, being a naturalist, should know the dangers of nature, when man begins interfering.

Originally Posted by mikecatadjuster

To those of you stating that the sting ray is a wild animal, and trying to strike fear into our hearts, this is simply a mis-statement. They are actually quite domesticated and are owned by the larger Manta-ray. This relationship and breeding program is thought to have originated somewhere in the Crustacean period. They may be a danger, but only because they are trying to protect their owners. For us to get along with them, we must first understand their role and not indescriminately label them as 'wild'. Thank you.

**jensieblue** · 05-11-2008, 10:22 AM

Just back from Fairhope and word was that bullnose rays are hurting local seafood industry. Have these rays made it to the Sowal beaches yet?

**kurt** · 05-24-2008, 05:43 PM

Added to home page - http://SoWal.com

**jensieblue** · 05-25-2008, 11:50 AM

Kurt, I love your pictures...You have a fantastic ability to capture the best shot. You shots bring a lot of pleasure to many...I think I remember a time when ray meat was sold as scallops in some south Florida restarants..

**kurt** · 05-25-2008, 01:17 PM

Thanks!

There is a lot of seafood counterfeiting going on eveywhere. A lot of "scallops" are shark.

**BeachBebe** · 05-29-2008, 11:34 AM

Hello everyone,

I want to take grandchildren crabbing today. We have a guest who has never visited a lake outlet. Can someone give me a heads up on best place to go? Are outlets open at Eastern or Western lakes? Thanks ahead of time.