- Contributed
Patrons enjoy the company of a stingray at Stingray City Jamaica.

Resort: Stingray City Jamaica
Location: James Bond Beach, Oracabessa, St. Mary (25 minutes drive east of Ocho Rios, St. Ann)
Contact: 726-1630, 975-3665 or email: info@stingraycityjamaica.com
Entry cost: Residents, $1,750 for Adults; $650 for children (12 and under, those younger than four years old enter free). Entry fee includes a 45-minute encounter with the stingrays that is snorkelling (equipment provided), and a complimentary drink (water, fruit punch or rum punch).

Within the past month, stingrays have increased in popularly, stemming from the death of 'crocodile hunter', Steve Irwin. The Crocodile Hunter was fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray spine while snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, at Batt Reef, in Queensland, Austrialia.

However, stingrays are usually harmless. One of the major resort attractions on the north coast is Stingray City Jamaica.

It offers a unique experience that allows one to pet, hold and feed a stingray, a marine creature that many persons would never have the opportunity otherwise to encounter.

"The beauty about our tour is that not only is it a fun thing to do, but it educates as well. Through our orientation and safety briefing as well as the one-to-one interaction with the stingray, guests learn how gentle these beautiful creatures are, and guests are never left unsupervised as a stingray handlers is always present to hand them a stingray," said operations manager, Marina Delfos.

Stingray City also feature a small swimming beach, a snorkelling beach, a bar and restaurant, a playing field for football, volleyball, kite flying and frisbee throwing, a photoshop and a gift shop that offers logo items, stingray tattoos and unique crafted gift items.

There are four tours per day at Stingray City, 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

The response from children and parents after visiting Stingray has been phenomenal. "Many of the comments from children have been 'very cool' and 'amazing'," she said.

Miss Delfos continued: "We have even had a birthday party for a group of young boys here, specifically organised around swimming with the stingrays who are great birthday guests! And, of course, we are also able to offer hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream as a part of the birthday package."

As long as people swimming with the stingrays follow the safety instructions of the guides, they need not worry about attacks.

For more information visit: http://www.stingraycityjamaica.com

Shelly-Ann Thompson