Three weeks ago, I went on my fourth snorkeling trip since arriving here in Belize. The marine life here is beautiful and unlike anything I had seen before. The coral is bright, colorful and filled with vibrant fish who call the coral home. On this snorkeling trip, we went to Shark Ray Alley, which is located in Hol Chan Marine Reserve just off the coast of Ambergris Caye. A caye is a small, sandy island on the edge of a coral reef, and this is one of the many cayes off the coast of Belize. One of my favorite marine creatures that we saw was the southern stingray. I can't wait to share how awesome these creatures are!
The southern stingray is shaped like a diamond. The rays range from the size of a basketball hoop rim to a bit bigger than a stop sign. Southern stingrays have a whiptail that can range from three to five feet long! On their top, they are gray in color and have two little eyes that blend into the top gray color. On their bottom, they have a white "belly" and a mouth. The skin on the top is rough and has a thin layer of sand. Underneath, their white "bellies" are slimy and soft.
