Manta Rays around Egmont Key

water rat

water rat

New Member
Jul 9, 2007
424
Tampa
We were out at Egmont Key yesterday, and there were large pods of Manta Rays or Bat Rays swimming around. I'm talking groups of 20 or so swimming in alignment in about 3 feet of water. We saw this happening all day, and must have seen a total of 200 rays by the time we left.

Does anyone know if this is a migratory pattern? Is it mating season? I don't recall seeing this last year. It was a pretty amazing sight to see! Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera or I would post the photos.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this.
 
We get that around here too. I saw two large ones in the surf last week. It's really cool when you scare them up. They tend to jump 3 times.
 
Tallahassee240Sundeck said:
Saw some in my area just east of Panama City last weekend - smaller ones - first time I have. That was in addition to the small nurse shark at the sandbar...
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I saw a huge one down in Charlotte Harobour at first I thought it was as shadow from a cloud till it moved I was blown away to see such a thing so large and in real life.
 
I had an eagle rayy go vertical about 6 feet from the boat when I was out mackerel fishing alone a year ago. The wingspan on it was huge. I figured they fine my boat in Mexico, with an eagle ray skeleton on top of my skeleton. Luckily, it went back in the water right at the side of the boat. Cool sight, but I thought I was done for.
 
I have to say, I've only had my boat about a year. As a kid we had a boat but we only went out in the bay and at most saw a dolphin or two.

In the year I've had my boat I've seen huge schools of tarpon jumping out of the water as if you could drive under then and catch on in the air. A huge mana Ray (I guess it was a mana it was some sort of ray larger then I've ever seen) and a huge coral colored sea turtle.

If I never see another thing, just seeing that up close in person has made boat owner ship worth it's weight in gold.

And to top it off having this great board (thanks Jim) and all you great knowledgable people to not only share it with but also to learn from makes having a Sea Ray the best. :thumbsup:
 
Morpheus,

What do the sea turtles do when they surface? I ask because two out of the last three times we were out, I saw something that kinda looked like it rolled on top of the water, and was almost coral in color...

Thanks,

John
 
I imagin they are coming up for air. He was only on the surface for a minute just swiming along. Was over the top of a reef I was fishing. I actually almost put my cast right on top of him before I realized what it was.
 
Most awesome experience I ever had was when I was comeing back in from a day on the water and saw some friends waving me down in the channel that heads into my complex. their was a manatee in the channel. I shut the boat down, dropped the anchor and jumped over board. as I swam over to my friends boat the manatee came up under me and lifted me out of the water. I ended up swimming with a wild manatee for about a half an hour this was one of the coolest things I have ever down.
 
Did the turtles look like this one? I included a dolphin pic just for grins (not a good one, though).
 

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tphinney said:
Most awesome experience I ever had was when I was comeing back in from a day on the water and saw some friends waving me down in the channel that heads into my complex. their was a manatee in the channel. I shut the boat down, dropped the anchor and jumped over board. as I swam over to my friends boat the manatee came up under me and lifted me out of the water. I ended up swimming with a wild manatee for about a half an hour this was one of the coolest things I have ever down.
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We usually put in at the mouth of the Wakulla River and if we go up the river instead of out to the Gulf of Mexico, we see manatee all the time. I have not jumped in to swim with them, but a friend did and took the disposable underwater camera. Need to finish the roll and get those developed. Funny thing was, as he was swimming along, the manatee was coming up for air and kicked with his back fin - nearly knocked my friend out slapping him across the face. Will see lots of dolphin in the channel leading out to the gulf. Kids love seeing all the animals. I like going about 10 miles out *still only 15-20 feet deep and there is a place 10 miles out that is only about 3 or 4 feet deep. Dolphin always swim along the boat. It is great and very relaxing!
 
ylwjacket said:
Did the turtles look like this one? I included a dolphin pic just for grins (not a good one, though).
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Haha no the turtle didn't look like that. Looked more like the attached one but BIG. And the Ray was maybe 1-2x bigger then the ray in your picture. IT was hard to see it the water was not as clear as in your picture.
 

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We've seen sea turtles, too. Last time we did was on a day when there were large globs of sea weed all over Tampa Bay. We saw the turtle and thought it was sea weed at first. Good thing we didn't hit it!

I saw a big manatee (is there any other kind?) between Egmont and Mullet Key (Ft. DeSoto) a few weeks ago. I saw it out of the corner of my and I thought "who is that idiot swimming in the middle of the channel?", then realized it was a manatee. I hope it was ok.

They show up at the Apollo Beach Teco plan in November. I heard that they are closing that plant down - anyond know if that's true??
 
yellowjacket - nice photos! thanks for posting. The mom and baby dolphin are great.

Where do you normally boat? We are in Apollo beach and go to Egmont or Ft. Desoto quite a bit.
 
Crock1,

The boat was in 15 feet of water next to the jetties at the mouth of our bay. The wind and waves were pushing us away from the rocks, so it was easy to get in close for the picture. Now that you mention it, it does look risky.
 
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