Hey guys, Quick question, This year I'm having a crack at windsurfing. Last year I got out a few times but later in the season
This year I have started earlier, In the Mandurah estuary . Bloody sting rays every where up to 8 today and at least 6 the other day.
Question is why
That time of year or what .
I have seen rays in the estuary before but no where near the amount I ve seen in the last week.
These things would only be 40 to 60 cm wide but still a bit freaky.
DO they bugger off or what and what would happen if you were to cop a sting.



If they don't disappear soon ill put the word out in china town ,there s under size rays around, works with the crabs

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bigtom said..
Hey guys, Quick question, This year I'm having a crack at windsurfing. Last year I got out a few times but later in the season
This year I have started earlier, In the Mandurah estuary . Bloody sting rays every where up to 8 today and at least 6 the other day.
Question is why
That time of year or what .
I have seen rays in the estuary before but no where near the amount I ve seen in the last week.
These things would only be 40 to 60 cm wide but still a bit freaky.
DO they bugger off or what and what would happen if you were to cop a sting.



If they don't disappear soon ill put the word out in china town ,there s under size rays around, works with the crabs

I had a session 4/5 years ago where I was sailing by myself through an area known as 'alpha land' (an area down wind of hardies) when on one run I sailed through a field of stingray tails! Must of been dozens of them - all sticking their tails straight out of the water like antennas ....Weirdest thing I have ever seen..my guess was the water was that shallow and chocked with weed that they were trying to keep their tails clean......

I didn't see one today Tom, you must be attracting them.

I've heard of plenty of cobbler stings, but none for rays, It is a bit scary thinking of falling on one, but they do seem to get out of the way very smartly. And there some big ones out there.

They do seem to get out of the way when sailing but as I'm not quite holding my line ,I tend to walk in the shallow as a bit and when I see a patch of darker sand the same size as the rays it gets me second guessing.
These guys don't hang around year round do they,I haven't seen em this thick before.
Ive been at navara

They come in closer to shore after the juvenile crabs which are already taking chunks out of red fur

the wokkers should take care of the crabs for you soon elmo..

Wouldn't worry, heaps in the shallows at Dutchies a few years ago and everyone stepped on one or two, no stings

She's apples.

I know two guys that got stung in SE Qld last year and both were in agony until they got to doctors and had a numbing injection. One had to spend the night in hospital as the stinger had hit a bone in his toe. His sting was from a very small baby stingray.

I've had a massive one jump out of the water right in front of me while on a screaming broad reach in the Gold Coast broadwater. And not the local kind, something big and black and heavy.

There are thousands in the GC Broadwater and they are generally very timid. You'd be very unlucky to step on one. I guess they are of a similar nature everywhere.

However, I have noticed that if you follow one around for a minute or so they become tired of that game and start to stand their ground, and even come back at you. I guess if you're a dick and annoy and/or scare them enough they are going to protect themselves.

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snides8 said..

bigtom said..
Hey guys, Quick question, This year I'm having a crack at windsurfing. Last year I got out a few times but later in the season
This year I have started earlier, In the Mandurah estuary . Bloody sting rays every where up to 8 today and at least 6 the other day.
Question is why
That time of year or what .
I have seen rays in the estuary before but no where near the amount I ve seen in the last week.
These things would only be 40 to 60 cm wide but still a bit freaky.
DO they bugger off or what and what would happen if you were to cop a sting.



If they don't disappear soon ill put the word out in china town ,there s under size rays around, works with the crabs

I had a session 4/5 years ago where I was sailing by myself through an area known as 'alpha land' (an area down wind of hardies) when on one run I sailed through a field of stingray tails! Must of been dozens of them - all sticking their tails straight out of the water like antennas ....Weirdest thing I have ever seen..my guess was the water was that shallow and chocked with weed that they were trying to keep their tails clean......

Cripes i would have fallen in on them..

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elmo said..
They come in closer to shore after the juvenile crabs which are already taking chunks out of red fur

Maybe I don't want to sail in WA..

Tails up usually means stay away I'm not happy with where you are.
Stingrays at the pit too, a few have been done over the years. Very painful. Best treatment is the hottest water you can handle. Take care in not burning the patient by staying in hot water for too long.

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...I guess if you're a dick and annoy and/or scare them enough they are going to protect themselves.

Crikey!

The problem i had stepping onto a small stingray was not getting stabbed by its prick , but rather it slicing under the arch of my foot as it tried to swim away. Soft flesh there , lots of blood , ruined my day. I should have gotten stitches but instead toughed it out. Dumb idea , took ages to heal.

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kato said...
Tails up usually means stay away I'm not happy with where you are.
Stingrays at the pit too, a few have been done over the years. Very painful. Best treatment is the hottest water you can handle. Take care in not burning the patient by staying in hot water for too long.

Put the affected area in hot water for releief and also the unaffected limb as well for control of temperature. I got stung and the hot water gave great relief but make sure you dont get a scald injury from continuously adding hot water. The unaffected limb will tell you when its too hot..

There in the estuary all year round I've seen a school of 100 or more on my boat a few years ago and hit a few in the shallows the good thing is bull sharks love to eat them the bad thing is the bull sharks like to eat us to !

Rays make a good stew if you know how to cook

got told by shark centre in shark bay that if you do can stabbed go to the hospital rather than GP as the barbs are covered in slime which has lots of bacteria that can lead to serious infection. The hospital will open the wound up and clear this out. A GP will not tend to do this just give you the pain killers.

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stroppo said..
There in the estuary all year round I've seen a school of 100 or more on my boat a few years ago and hit a few in the shallows the good thing is bull sharks love to eat them the bad thing is the bull sharks like to eat us to !

Well. they've gotta catch you first Strop. You'd be much too pacey for them.... sort of fast food.
Me? Well, that's a very different matter.... more like a leisurely take-away.

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peguin said..
got told by shark centre in shark bay that if you do can stabbed go to the hospital rather than GP as the barbs are covered in slime which has lots of bacteria that can lead to serious infection. The hospital will open the wound up and clear this out. A GP will not tend to do this just give you the pain killers.

Yup

crayfish poisoning, coral poisoning etc. Reefs and anything spiky....................

metho and a toothbrush is the DIY but it is not nice

luckily we don't have anything like that in WA

MMM , Jaws theme comes to mind