Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Watery Wednesday #15: Stinging Retort


"Petting Zoo"
Pine Knoll Shores, NC - October 2008 (Click to embiggen)

Watery Wednesday

Believe it or not, this guy is part of an aquatic "petting zoo" at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. A staffer is stationed by the tank to remind visitors to "only pet them on the wings" and to tell us that the rays have been rendered harmless. I'm perfectly happy not to test the theory though.Violence Unsilenced
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24 comments:

2sweetnsaxy said...

That's a great shot. We have some at the Long Beach Aquarium for petting. I haven't been able to get this clear of a shot because of the reflections on the water so I appreciate this one. :-) I haven't petted them either but the kids sure love it.

Anonymous said...

That's a good shot! Well-done we can see that fish pretty well.

InventingLiz said...

Nice, I like the diamond-patterned watery reflections, sort of mimics the shape of the ray itself.

I can do you one better than a petting zoo - there's an aquarium in NY that I go to a lot with my nieces when I'm visiting my family, they have a ray pool where you can buy a handful of little fish and actually FEED the rays! It's very thrilling...

EG CameraGirl said...

I keep hearing about stingrays at petting zoos and I keep wondering about the "sting" in its name. ;-)

Gill - That British Woman said...

great shot, I have never seen a stingray close up. They will be harmless though if they have had their "sting" taken out.

Gill in Canada

Kathy W said...

Great photo. I'm with you on taking their word on the ray being harmless now. Hope you have a wonderful week.

Anonymous said...

Awesome... I once got to swim with Stingrays that had been de-stingered! It is very cool. They are like big slimey dogs, whenever you have food they come and swim around you and swim between your legs and stuff. You should totally pet one next time! They're so slimey!

Anonymous said...

I have never heard of a 'petting zoo' great idea. I love the ripples and light reflections and the stingray's eye who looks like he is looking at you straight in the eye - great photo.

Anonymous said...

Rays get a bad rap, but they aren't aggressive..I would love to pet it, but I wonder how much the ray enjoys the petting....Michelle

Unknown said...

Yay! that stingray! But great shot anyway, thanks for sharing.

VALKYRIEN said...

A cool shot! The reflections from the light is beautiful, makes the picture alive! Well - so does the ray also....:) Is he looking at you?

Carletta said...

A terrific shot!
I know by having taken school kids to the VA Beach Acquarium that the little ones are fasinated to be able to touch them.

Unknown said...

A beautiful creation. great shot!
Tess(life is beautiful)

Anonymous said...

Can't blame ya for not wantin' to test it out, but EXCELLENT shot! So cool with the water & the plants, not to mention the Stingray himself!

Unknown said...

I would pet it. But you'd have to hold a gun to my head to get me to touch a snake. Or a lizard. I like them. It's not that. I just have an aversion to touching them.

Cool picture. My plans to go to Boston and the aquarium fell through: seems daughter #2 is smitten with a new boy. :-)

Unknown said...

I petted one in Corpus. :) They feel kinda weird.

BNS said...

Very nice photo of the stingray. You did a really good job with it.

Bobbie @ The Right Blue

Shadow said...

beautiful fish... but i'm with you, i ain't gonna test the theory.

DNLee said...

I've always loved how the light dapples and glimmers in the water. Very nice and clear shot.

DeniseinVA said...

That is an awesome photograph, fascinating creatures aren't they? I love the fact this photo is so clear and those patterns really catch your eye.

Tammie Lee said...

Love how well this guy blends with the shadows and light. Nice

Eaton Bennett aka Berenice Albrecht said...

Love the ripples of light on the sand. I can take or leave the stingray though. :)

Tink *~*~* said...

There's a touch-tank here in Fort Myers, in the Imaginarium. They have live shell fish in there too. No I have not absconded with any of the shells.... I WANTED to but I didn't LOL :D

Tink *~*~*
Wednesday at My Mobile Adventures *~*~* - It was no picnic! on Sanibel Island

Cherie said...

Great photo! Years ago, my husband and I went to the aquarium in Boston where they had a place where you could pet rays. It was pretty cool, I was surprised at how soft they felt. My husband, on the other hand, got scared and pulled his hand back at the last second :)