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dean miller
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STING RAYS== ENCOUNTERS IN BAJA
STING RAYS
Recently Sting Rays have been in the news.
Today, October 19,2006, an 81 year old male was stuck by a Spotted Eagle ray that "jumped into his small boat" off Light House Point in Florida. As of
this publishing he is in critical condition.
A few weeks back Steve Irvin of Australia was killed by a Sting Ray. He was swimming over the top of it and was struck in the heart.
At one time any beach in Baja was populated by wall to wall Sting Rays, a literal "Sting Ray city". As the human population has increased the
population of Sting Rays drastically decreased.
HOWEVER,
EVENT #1
Twelve years ago my wife, an accomplished veteran diver, was struck just south of the populated area of BOLA. She was in ankle deep water placing her
fins on her feet. She had just place the fin on her foot and placed it back into the water right on the top of a Sting Ray. It immediately went in a
defensive mode, whipped it's tail up driving a barb into and though the Jet fin, the 1/4 neoprene booties and into her foot.
We immediately headed to our host's lovely white home on the point, heated water, infused with ammonia and immersed her foot in the very hot water
past the punchure to her ankle. Since the poison was heat liable its potency was negatated and their was no apparent after affects.
EVENT #2
Several years later same wife, same equipment, same general area only next cove south. Had fins on, were doing the "Sting Ray shuffle." My wife
some how trapped a Sting Ray under her foot and there was a repeat performance--"De Ja vue - all over again"
This time some vacationing Mexican nationals suggested the immediate application of a warm cactus poltice. Before they could locate the proper cactus
my wife was making tracks for the hot water and ammonia. Once again no apparent long term after affects.
Questions:
1) Have members of this board had Sting Ray injuries?
2) What treatment was used for relief?
3) What is the Mexican treatment?
An inquiring mind wants to know
DM
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Martyman
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Got nailed at Punta Chivato. Did the hot water with a tequila chaser. It hurt but three hours later it was just itchy. The mexicans camping near us
said to pee on the sting... didn't try that because my friends would have enjoyed it too much.
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David K
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I do recall Doc (Dr. Abraham Vasquez) at Camp Gecko treating a guest with 'as hot as he could stand it' water... this was 5 years ago.
The water should not be so hot as to actually damage the skin.
I have been lucky... my life has been on the water (growing up on the beach in Del Mar, trips to Baja ever since) and never been hit by a ray...
Lot's of jellyfish contact (ammonia or tea tree oil for that).
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Cypress
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Dean, Your wife must be a stingray magnet. Getting stuck once is very rare,
twice is downright odd? 
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dean miller
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| Quote: | Cypress
Dean, Your wife must be a stingray magnet. Getting stuck once is very rare,
twice is downright odd?:?]________________________________________________
You are so correct!
Lighting never strikes twice in one place--but Sting Rays?? I assume no one informed them.
When she had the frist encouter he had about 30 years of diving experience with not even a scratch.
Now she has two small scares and a good campfire storie of Sting Rays encounters
DM |
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bajajudy
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On our recent sailing trip, one of the ladies got stung and we did the hot water routine, didnt add anything to it, and she was fine. I had read
about that treatment here on the Nomads
When I was living in Rangaroa in the Toumutu Islands in French Polynesia, I rode a ray in what they called the Blue Lagoon. I never even thought
about the barb. It was never mentioned.
Are there rays that are harmless?
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BajaWarrior
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Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
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L.A. Bay, yep. 15 years ago, bringing the boat in at La Gringa, got nailed by a little guy, one footed it up to camp. My buddy immediatly put fire
under the teapot, and the water got hot quick. Use as hot of water as you can stand. It works very quickly.
Also, and hand shaken strong Margarita helps with the pain.
I sat in the chair, and hot water was added to the pot I had my foot in for over an hour. Put on some Neosporin, socks and shoes, and literally forgot
about it two hours after being stung. Funny, they call it a sting, but this little guy drew blood.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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BajaWarrior
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Baja Judy, that was probably a Bat Ray, touched one in Hawaii this summer, no stinger, just long tapering tail.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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dean miller
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STING RAYS
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajajudy
When I was living in Rangaroa in the Toumutu Islands in French Polynesia, I rode a ray in what they called the Blue Lagoon. I never even thought
about the barb. It was never mentioned.
Are there rays that are harmless?
________________________________________________
You possibly rode a Manta Ray (Raya Manta in Spanish).
They are not equiped with stingers or any other defensive mechanizms other than their size. They have been known to grow rather large.
There was at one time a dive operation out of La paz that took divers to the banks to ride Mantas. I do not know if it is still in operation.
dm |
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Bajagypsy
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On my attempted to be certified (open water course) I was doing a shore dive and steped on one (bare feet), It hurt worse than having any of my kids.
Hot water is the trick. Got back to Canada, and had a massive infection (I did go to the doctor in Mulege, they gave me antibiotics), my foot started
turning black, and my hubby said I was going to be a peg leg. Turned out secondary infections are pretty common. I think the barb broke off in my
foot, as I can still squeeze oozy stuff out of it, and it hurts if anything rubs against the top. Anyone had a barb breake off?
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BajaWarrior
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaWarrior
Baja Judy, that was probably a Bat Ray, touched one in Hawaii this summer, no stinger, just long tapering tail. |
Correction, after some research, Bay Rays do have a stinger, in fact up to three. Of course they are considered "docile", till you pee them off!
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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dean miller
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It must be recognized that this thread is indentifing the Sting Rays by their "common name" rather than their scientic name, therefore there is a
possiblity of using a common name for two very distinct and different species of Sting Rays.
The majority of Sting Rays have stingers.
The only known local Baja Ray that does not have stinger is the Manta Ray. It is quite large and never found in shallow water. Over the years they
have by repeated non agressive human contact become very diver friendly, to the point allowing a submerged diver to ride them, especially on the sea
mount off La paz.
The major concern is the smaller Sting Ray generally found in the shallow calm water which will be encountered by the diver and on rare occasions the
surfer.
DM
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Jack Swords
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Couple of years ago, my wife stepped on a sting ray spine out on El Magote in La Paz. Fishermen clean their catches and many are sting rays later
sold as "Manta". There are lots of carcasses and also, then, lots of unattached sting barbs. It broke off in her foot, caused some pain (no venom).
She tooks some antibiotics and our stateside doctor said it would work itself out, preferable to surgery with bones, tendons, vessels, etc. Almost a
year later it started out on the opposite side of the foot. Two days later the 1 1/2 inch piece came out. So there are sting ray barbs on the dry
sand on beaches. She wears sandals now, I don't (yet). So far I have stepped on two live ones ("attacked", I guess now) and just bled a lot. Waited
on the beach to die, but never felt venom so apparently survived.
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Cypress
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A type of saltwater catfish called "hardheads", have smaller spines(usually less than 3"s), can be very painful if you're stuck by one. 
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rts551
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Lots of sting rays in the surf at Abreojos. One got me on top of the big toe while getting off a board. Hot water and lots of beer did the trick.
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dean miller
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Bajagypsy,
My wife had 5 children in 5 years and I never had any pain! Did I miss something? Should I go step on a Sting Ray?
You were correct in seaking medical attention in Mulege. Any time in the future you have a marine type injury always obtain treatment near the
occurance. A doctor located near the ocean will have seen and treated numerous sting ray patients but I would bet he never will see a moose injury.
It is very common for the Barb to break off or some how disengage and become bedded in part or whole in the flesh of the victim.
The Sting Ray does NOT inject venom, The non specific poison is contained ON the shelth of the barb. When the Sting Ray defends its self by wipping
it's tail up and ove it's back and driving the barb in to the victim at that moment the barb often breaks of.
I would suspect that you have a portion of the barb still embeded in your flesh. I would strongly urge that you visit you doctor poste haste and
insist that a complete X rays series be performed upon the affected foot. Should the X rays be negative for any objects I would suspect that you have
a very serious infection. My med of choice would be the 7 dose Z pack as a beginning. But do it NOW!
Me? I have been baking a cake and enjoying this forum all afternoon.
Hopes this helps! Please--Do report back to the board on the Doctor's findings and treatment.
DM
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tripledigitken
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Had a pair of rubber sandals on and was doing the "shuffle" at Shell Beach (vicinity of Punta Chivato) and was stung on my ankle. Again hot water,
tequila and beer. No ill effects, if you don't count the hangover.
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aha baja
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Doc at Camp Gecko said once to "pee on it" I thought he was kidding but it turns out as some of you know that urine is sterile , warm and has some
ammonia in it! (beer can't hurt) but the ammonia factor helps neutralize the toxins and reduce the pain(you may want to pop a vicoden if ya got 'em in
your first aid kit.
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Bajagypsy
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I will go back to the doctor this weekend, we are planning to be down in Baja next month, we leave Canada on the 9th, to spend some time at Shari's
and then on to Mulege!!! Don't want my foot to fall off!!!
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dean miller
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STING RAYS
| Quote: | Bajagypsy
I will go back to the doctor this weekend,... Don't want my foot to fall off!!! |
____________________________________________
SO?
Is your foot still attached?
What was the doctors DX &RX?
We are concerned for you health,
DM
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