does anyone know or has anyone encountered sea turtles or stingrays around SXM when/where ? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />

I believe sea turtles are very common in the Creole Rock area..... We took our Grands on the Underwater Explorer trip years ago and saw them and know that many if the snorkeling trips go there for just this reason.

Stingrays? Not so sure of......... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I understand that sea turtles are also very common around Tintamarre now also. Don't know about stingrays either though.

There was a ray that came very close to shore at Le Galion a couple of years ago when we were there. I had been casting my husband's fly rod (no hook) so he could get photos. I wondered if I hadn't lured it near the shore. It was beautiful.

Simpson Bay Beach has been the home to some turtle nest/hatches. Whenever encountered, they should NOT be disturbed.

We see rays over by Anguilla all the time. Also, in St Barth, the harbor is loaded with sea turtles.

You are almost guaranteed to see turtles off the beach at Tintamarre where the day sails go. Rays are very common around Creole Rock and also commonly seen off Pinel and Green Cay.

In Anguilla, every morning there was a ray near shore by Viceroy and Anacaona. Have also seen them at Shoal Bay.
Haven't seen any in SXM.
There ARE many sea turtles at Tintamarre.

Have seen lots of turtles in Tintamarre (also saw some sting rays there) and Creole Rock. Very cool experience to observe them! Have yet to see either on Anguilla but perhaps one day!

I have seen Spotted Eagle Rays on numerous dives off St Maarten. One time a pack of five cruised by off Divi Bay close to where snorklers were, Lots of common rays and turtles all around St Maarten.

Have seen rays many times while snorkeling in Anguilla....most at Crocus Bay....spotted ones & baby ones as well...also turtles....Junior from Shoal Bay will take you there or right at Crocus Bay, Calvin will drop you off or pick you up.....by boat...or you can rent a kayak from Da Vida.....life is fascinating under the sea....kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

I have seen spotted eagle rays off of Isle Fourche in St. Barths. I have also seen rays off of Tintamarre and Prickly Pear.

I have seen spotted eagle rays right here in Biscayne Bay!
And turtle, dolphins, manatees, barracudas etc.
Even jellyfish.
It's the ocean!

I encountered Sea turtles while snorkeling at Happy Bay beach. Fairly close as well. Just floated still and watched. I have also spotted them around Simpson Bay Off the rocks from the flamingo, but they were quite distant and they swam off as I tried to approach. Most of the Rays I encounter are quite small.

Saw a ray cruising just off of beach at Club O a couple of years ago. Clearly visible from the beach.

We happened to see a ray when we were eating at Ocean 82 at night. It was beautiful.

Here is a photo of the ray we saw in Le Galion. It was already swimming away when we got this shot.

Lots of turtles at Tintamarre.

Saw a stingray off Orient Beach in front of Club O today!

The caretaker at the place we rented from in Grand Case said a giant manta ray used to come in for a couple of days every year and disappear until the next year (mating? chasing food?)......happened for several years in a row then it never came back again.

Are you sure he said "Manta" and not eagle ray? Didn't think the water was cool enough for Mantas to be in the Caribbean.

I'm guessing it could have been a large eagle ray....he said it was much larger than him. He has to be 6'2". Like most fish stories perhaps it needs a BS conversion factor to get the size correct.

Manta rays are often called eagle rays and vice versa. Hence the reference to saying it was a Manta Ray and not the Spotted Eagle Ray common to St Maarten waters. They are in the same category and are referred to as large Eagle Rays in some reference books even though they do not look the same.

There are Manta Rays. Big Ones. They are twice as big as the biggest Spotted Eagle Ray I have ever seen. Totally different. Seen them at Grand Case and Mullet Bay. Very commonly seen in Saba

Good to know. I have never seen one diving there and have logged over 180 dive in St Maarten over the years. I'll keep my eyes on the search for one this May.

Turtles and Rays in SXM is what started me w Scuba diving 10 years ago. I went on a "resort dive" with an instructor to Creole Rock and on my very first dive saw both a turtle and a Ray. I came home to Canada and got certified - along with my son - within weeks. I have since logged hundreds of dives.

We have seen various Rays almost every year in St. Maarten. We go at the end of July/Early August. We have several times seen small Rays off of Mullet. We have seen many by Creole Rock. We have seen them at La Galion and also off of Happy Bay. We have also seen them off of Tintamarre.

We have seen turtles a little less frequently. A few off of Creole rock over the years. One off of Mullett. One or two off of Tintamarre. One at Prickley Pear. This past year my daughter and her friend saw one at Orient just as they were being lifted up on the parasail. They thought it was the neatest thing ever!

To the west of Creole Rock in Grand Case Bay you can see a lot of turtles at turtle reef. I dove there, but I think a good swimmer could snorkel it.

Please don't swim to Grand Case Reef (Turtle Reef). It's a long way and a lot of boat traffic. Take a boat! It's just to dangerous to swim and what happens if you need help?

I agree. It's not a question of distance - it's a question of safety. To either "turtle reef" or Creole Rock, I think it not worth it to swim because of safety. If you do swim it, at least use a snorkel flag float.

Heavens no, I am not suggesting that anyone swim TO the reef! I am saying that if you were on some kind of tour there, you could snorkel the reef if you swam well! Lesser swimmers could do surface snorkeling, I suppose. I freedive a lot.