Today we went to Manjack Cay. After anchoring we took our dingy to shore. Mom took our lunch to a picnic table down the beach. Once I started eating I saw a dive boat come to the dock. Tessa and I ran to meet the boat. When we got there, two Southern Stingrays were swimming in the water near the dive boat. Southern Stingrays can grow to 2 to 4 foot wingspan. Their mouths are on the underside of their bodies. The dive boat operator, Brendal, asked us if we wanted to feed them. Yes we said!

Brendal cut up some fish and told us to put it between our toes. When we did that, the rays would cover our feet with their bodies and gently eat the fish from between our toes. It was freaky! The rays liked to be touched: we only had to be careful of the sharp barb under their long tails. The rays were beautiful. The biggest one was named Sandy. Brendal had been feeding Sandy for the last 18 years. Sandy had a wingspan of about 4 feet. Though she was the biggest, she was the most gentle.

After about 30 minutes of petting the rays, two sharks swam close to shore. They were hungry too. The rays kept them from getting too close to us. Brendal threw out some fish for them to eat. We watched them for a long time, until the sharks and rays swam back out into the ocean. It was our best day in the Abacos so far.