BajaNomad

Rays

Ken Bondy - 1-21-2011 at 07:58 AM

I have watched with interest several recent threads describing the incredible schooling and jumping behavior of mobula rays in the Sea of Cortez. Having no life, it got me thinking about different rays I have seen and photographed. Here is a little portfolio:

Seven golden rays:


My daughter Coleen playing with a Southern stingray:


Torpedo ray - carries a powerful electric current -potentially dangerous. The only consistently aggressive ray I have ever encountered:


Shovelnose guitarfish. This one might be a shark, not sure:


Mobula:


Pacific manta:


Another shot of a Pacific manta, this time with Coleen to show scale:


Coleen playing with another Southern stingray. This is the same species that killed Steve Irwin:



Bat ray ready for takeoff:


Bat ray in flight:


Marble ray:


Touch:


I have seen eagle rays many times but never managed a showable photo. Too bad, they are very beautiful. I know, I know, I must get a life.

Paulina - 1-21-2011 at 08:09 AM

Ken,

Amazing photos and what a life underwater you have that many of us can only dream of! Thank you!

P<*)))>{

Rays

tehag - 1-21-2011 at 08:15 AM

Waaaaaayyyyy cool!! THanks.

tripledigitken - 1-21-2011 at 08:25 AM

Good stuff!

willyAirstream - 1-21-2011 at 08:29 AM

All spectacular pics, seven golden rays is my favorite! Thanks for the joy!!

Natalie Ann - 1-21-2011 at 09:30 AM

Incredible images, Ken. Such beautiful creatures!
What a trip for Colleen to have played with that ray.

The first photo makes me think perhaps our world has flipped and now heaven is under water...
with a flock of angels 'flying' through the ether.

I'm so glad you posted these pix this morning, Ken.
Really began my day with happy floating fantasies. Thank you.

nena

DianaT - 1-21-2011 at 09:32 AM

Wow, and Wow!!! Number two is at the top of the list!

Loved seeing EMAM's photos in the air, and now it is wonderful to seeing these creatures under the water.



[Edited on 1-21-2011 by DianaT]

BajaBlanca - 1-21-2011 at 07:16 PM

wow...hauntingly beautiful pics.

Skipjack Joe - 1-21-2011 at 07:30 PM

Ken,

What agressive behavior did you see from the torpedo ray in your encounters?

Marc - 1-21-2011 at 07:31 PM

Wonderful images.
I did a night dive at Kona a few years back. Giant Mantas. Wish I could find my video.

Ken Bondy - 1-21-2011 at 07:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Ken,

What agressive behavior did you see from the torpedo ray in your encounters?


Igor they have charged me several times (not in the electrical sense but the physical sense :) ). They seem to back off when I retreat. Once I had one aggressively back me into a crevice on a wall at Wilson's Rock at San Miguel Island. I had to push it away with my camera before I could maneuver past it. I know a few divers who have been shocked, they say it really wakes you up :)

Geo_Skip - 1-25-2011 at 07:26 PM

Ken...If that is "Having No Life"...I want some of that....


Impressive.


You must have a store of memories that are invaluable!


Thank you...and for your willingness to answer all our silly questions with a kindness that is palpable!

You are one of the truly great ones!

Iflyfish - 1-26-2011 at 01:43 AM

Wow indeed!! What a series! You live a remarkable life both in and out of the water. Thank you very much for sharing these wonderful images with us.

Iflyfish

Cypress - 1-26-2011 at 07:19 AM

Thanks!:D

Bob H - 1-26-2011 at 09:29 AM

Ken.... #4 is my favorite.... how you get those eyes looking directly at you! I have seen you do this many times and don't know how you do it. You could have an entire book of underwater critters looking directly at your lens. Incredible!!

elizabeth - 1-26-2011 at 10:28 AM

Thanks, wonderful photos that bring back memories of ray encounters...like the time on my birthday, that it got a little dark and I looked up to see a blanket of mobulas! Love encountering rays, or turtles, or nudibranchs, or any kind of fish, or, I suppose anything underwater!

Thanks again...and where do those electric rays hang out?

Ken Bondy - 1-26-2011 at 12:01 PM

Thank you all for the nice comments!! elizabeth torpedo rays (electric) are a cold-water eastern Pacific species, relatively common in California.

Mulegena - 1-26-2011 at 01:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob H
Ken.... #4 is my favorite.... how you get those eyes looking directly at you! I have seen you do this many times and don't know how you do it. You could have an entire book of underwater critters looking directly at your lens. Incredible!!
I'm not an underwater photographer, so Ken can answer the question of how he gets a fish to "smile for the camera" which is the hallmark of a good fish picture I've heard.

As a diver I do know that fish are very aware of our presence and do look at us. I've seen electric rays in the Sea of Cortez and right off Burro Beach in about 20 feet of water. They have a presence which is palpable, a "heavy aura" if you will and can't easily be mistaken for the numerous stingray which are so common to Baja.

Regarding fish looking at the camera and communicating: while on a dive once I was using an underwater flashlight to enhance the colors which quickly become unperceptible underwater. It did increase my pleasure in the dive until I illuminated a small little fish close up who turned to me and gave me a "look" while I simultaneously "heard" her voice in my head telling me to either get lost or lose the flashlight 'cause it was bumming her out. She was not happy with me and my flashlight disturbing her peaceful little life.

Thank you, Ken, for sharing your photos with us. Its always a pleasure to see your skillful art.

mcfez - 1-26-2011 at 02:50 PM

I do snorkeling a lot. Not Scuba .
I can tell you that swimming with the fishes (as you are)....its a magical moment. I get a mentality of "peacefulness" as I swim with em. Great shots you gave us.

EMAM - 1-26-2011 at 03:32 PM

I agree with Skip who said if this is not having a life, I need to get some of that!!

Amazing shots. I love the one of your daughter holding the ray with the tail curled up towards the camera!! Amazing work

Bump

Stickers - 1-26-2011 at 06:00 PM

Ken, I never opened this thread since I thought it was about a restaurant in Mulege!

Great shots: That Southern Ray in some congfigs is deadly. What's the difference?

Rick

Ken Bondy - 1-26-2011 at 06:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Stickers
Ken, I never opened this thread since I thought it was about a restaurant in Mulege!

Great shots: That Southern Ray in some congfigs is deadly. What's the difference?

Rick


Thanks Stickers. Southern sting rays are potentially dangerous. A southern sting ray killed Steve Irwin (The Crocodile Hunter). Irwin was snorkeling over one in very shallow water. It obviously felt threatened and nailed him through the heart with the barb. My pictures of my daughter Coleen with the rays were taken at a place called Stingray City in Grand Cayman. Stingray City is a big tourist attraction in the Caymans, and the rays are fed by divers and snorkelers in shallow water (5-15 ft) virtually every day, and have become very conditioned to being around humans. To my knowledge there has never been an incident at Stingray City.