asking the local sailors out there:

scared s**t outta me at Cremorne, kited right over him in waist deep water southern end, it moved fast!

common in shallows or what? ever been stung?

Hey mate,
I was coming into the beach at Coles Bay a while ago, and jumped off into knee to waist high water, small chop breaking, so not clear, and landed right on what I think was a skate. Smaller than a stingray, and they don't necessarily have barbs as a tail.
BUT MAN did it hurt.
I've broken bones, hyper-flexed a knee, an elbow and a shoulder (had them all pointing the opposite to what they should be) and had to have a hernia operation - and nothing comes close to the pain.

I had no idea what had happened until I hobbled up onto the beach and saw the blood coming out of my ankle. The tail had gone into the inside of the ankle, just back of the ankle joint and hit the bone itself. It honestly felt like someone was either ripping my calf muscle out of my leg, or someone was running a knife up my calf to the knee and back down again, pulsing pain.
Long story short, immerse wound in HOT HOT water, as hot as you can stand it, and it draws the poison out, once you have removed any residual tail/barb/sting. I had to dig out with a scalpel black bits of something, sting or small pieces of barb, I don't really know, but I think I was lucky it hit my ankle bone and couldn't go in any further.
I know of others who have stepped on them and had tails go directly through booties and their foot - if it is a stingray, the tail will come off due to the barb, to make it harder to pull out. Don't step on them is my tip :-)
Remember they're more scared of you though! They usually don't hang around long.

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skinduptruk said...


common in shallows or what? ever been stung?

Yeah, common in the lagoon at Cremorne, and at Doran's on the sand flat.

Yeah we get them as well. I always try to hover a little bit before putting the foot down just in case there is one there. This scares the little blighters off.

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JohnnyHuett said...
Hey mate,
I was coming into the beach at Coles Bay a while ago, and jumped off into knee to waist high water, small chop breaking, so not clear, and landed right on what I think was a skate. Smaller than a stingray, and they don't necessarily have barbs as a tail.
BUT MAN did it hurt.
I've broken bones, hyper-flexed a knee, an elbow and a shoulder (had them all pointing the opposite to what they should be) and had to have a hernia operation - and nothing comes close to the pain.

I had no idea what had happened until I hobbled up onto the beach and saw the blood coming out of my ankle. The tail had gone into the inside of the ankle, just back of the ankle joint and hit the bone itself. It honestly felt like someone was either ripping my calf muscle out of my leg, or someone was running a knife up my calf to the knee and back down again, pulsing pain.
Long story short, immerse wound in HOT HOT water, as hot as you can stand it, and it draws the poison out, once you have removed any residual tail/barb/sting. I had to dig out with a scalpel black bits of something, sting or small pieces of barb, I don't really know, but I think I was lucky it hit my ankle bone and couldn't go in any further.
I know of others who have stepped on them and had tails go directly through booties and their foot - if it is a stingray, the tail will come off due to the barb, to make it harder to pull out. Don't step on them is my tip :-)
Remember they're more scared of you though! They usually don't hang around long.

Holy crap, that sounds bad

wow thx for info, think saw tv doco say that venom is one of worst types! the box jellyfish expert in Cairns said same thing, like a hot knife! :(

i think they now also say hot water treatment not vinegar anymore

lucky got a fright with no pain, good reminder of whats out there! :o

Its a real bugger when the sand you step on moves, should always look before stepping of. See a shadow, go another meter or two. Camoflauge of rays is unreal and they change coulor, have seen rays as big as 6 foot wide at dorans, never stung though,like a urchin small barbs one way in, not meant to come out.little buggers.

Stingrays, there were some big boys in the pond yesterday. Fantastic to watch how fast they go from zero to very fast ?? in a nano second

Russ said "from zero to very fast in a nano second"
Just like the Starship Enterprise, must be watching too much Star Trek

Hi Steve,

We need more wind, the dvd's are running thin at home Jaws 1, 2, 3 left to go and Megalodon love c grade shark movie's

Merry Christmas Everyone

Cheers Russ

Grab the buggers by the tail ( need quick hands), they really put up a fight.
There flaps make nice tucker as well. and the stinger makes a good sewing needle.
Also just wiggling your fingers in the sand on the pond often attracts a bite!.as the ray bits your finger drive your arm down their throat and swiftly throw them onto dry land.
I have seen appleman and artis perform both these techniques many a time.

lol u serious! sounds possible...

agree on accel was amazing to see, reminder of how many places yet to sail and diversity of exotic sea life to be attacked by

hey, i need a sewing needle as my kite harness fell apart today...

g4k fixable? or is that treasonable offence aiding the enemy? promise i will stay away from your flatwater, and i only wear wettie + harness with no boardies ;)

maybe thats why the critter spared me...

Might be able to sew it up for you,
drop her round for a look.

Me and Dad got pulled along in the green dish by one once seriously
God bless and goodnight