General Discussion of Cryptid Manta Rays/Stingrays

I will start this off with a story.

*I do not know if this is fact.*
When I was younger, my dad's friend told me a story about a giant manta ray. He basically said he was on a very large vessal (50-100ft ship?) and he, and everyone else on the ship saw a manta ray as long as the ship and with a wing span two times the size that length. He said the ray was casting an ominous shadow and the tip of it's wings looked like giant shark's fins. It was a harmless story though, as it swam deeper until it was no longer visible. And nothing further past the big fish story.

Now to the factual story in Florida.

When I was younger, I was at the beach on a normal summer day and someone in the water screamed because they seemed to have saw a shark fin in the water. This prompted the lifeguards to call everyone out of the water (I was running full speed on top of the water to get the heck out!) while we all watched the water for fins. What we all thought we saw at first was shark fins, but it wasn't. As other people on the beach and I continued watching, being pushed in by the tide and waves, is a giant manta ray. You could tell it was trying to go back towards deep ocean, it didn't want to be washing up on our beach. It was flipping it's giant wings and twirling and flopping. Eventually it did indeed wash up into ankle and shin-deep waters. Seemed pretty obviously unhappy with its situation. I do not know why the following event happened but it did and I am happy. A few older men in the crowd began to agree that we should approach it and try to put it back out to see. Someone was arguing it had a giant barb, and could electrocute us, ect. After all was said and done, a few guys ended up grabbing it by it's wings. I'm talking like 3 or 4 men on each side of it's wings. I came rushing up trying to help pick it up in some way too. I was short though, and couldn't go very deep with them. They eventually took the manta ray out deep enough for it to begin swimming into deep ocean again.

i have always loved ray stories since. And giant mantra rays and cryptid rays even more.
Now! Giant Ray Pics.

*Warning these pics may be disturbing to younger viewers*










Added: RIP Steve Irwin. Rays are such powerful creatures.

Very cool stories. Thanks for sharing and for the photos. I had no idea they could get that big.

This is the first i am hearing about this strange. I thought the first pic was the camera angle that made it appear so big, But when i opened the rest of the links i can honestley say i have never seen a ray that big before i look forward to seeing where this thread go's.

I've seen specials on giant manta rays on the learning channel, and they are said to be intelligent, curious, and harmless. If anything, they are said to be a little shy around divers. That last photo was of a river ray in Thiland or somewhere around there. It pains me to see them dead and bloody, hanging up like trophies by humans who think they've done a wonderful thing by killing a beast larger than themselves. National Geographic has some information about these creatures as well. I get seasick just looking at the water, but I would learn to dive in a minute if I could meet some of those majestic rays.

Very cool. I have always been fascinated by the mysteries of the sea. And since this is my favorite forum, I too look forward to wherever this post may go

reply to post by volafox


I have seen specials on giant squids.. never a giant ray this is new to me.. Learn something new every day i guess
I find the ocean and what lurks in it fascinating. We know more about our own solar system then we do about our oceans.

Animal Planet-River Monsters

this was a good episode...take a look.

reply to post by 9Cib27

I loved your story, thank you for sharing.

One last thing, you should add a *WARNING* you may find some pictures disturbing.
I found some a little upsetting and I had to try to shake off the tears and sadness.

There is a report of a manta ray with a 30 feet (9,1 meter) wingspan. Thats huge! Sometimes mantarays swim very close to the beach. Imagine a snorklers reaction when this floating carpet swims by.

Love (sting) rays, been stung by a small stingray a few years ago working as a aquarist. Only 1 feet across but the pain was terrible. After the hotwater treatment most poison was broken down but had to go to hospital anyway where they kept me for a day. My left arm was painful for a few weeks.

Always thinking of the legendary Steve Irwin when it comes to rays. I really miss him.

Originally posted by exdog5
Animal Planet-River Monsters

this was a good episode...take a look.

Good find man!

reply to post by ahamarlin


I really miss Steve too. His death affected me like that of a member of my own family.

OP,

Love the story! Thanks for showing this to us! I absolutely hate seeing them dead, but I'm not blaming that on you. I know you used the pics to show us just how big they can get, so I don't hold it against you at all, just to make that clear. I really hate the one that gave birth to a baby after it was captured. Poor thing.

Just think how long it takes for them to get that size, only to be wiped out in minutes when they come in contact with humans.

I applaud the effort of you and the other men who helped save the one on the beach that day!

S&F!

i'll just leave this here.



no, she's not a mermaid.

enter DarkDevilRay ~