How Crazy Crab Helped the Stingrays During the Pandemic

When the world shut down in 2020 and visitors stopped coming to Grand Cayman, life on the water changed almost overnight. Stingray City, Grand Cayman — normally buzzing with boats, laughter, and friendly stingrays — suddenly fell silent.

For generations, these amazing southern stingrays have been gathering at the Stingray City Sandbar — drawn by the food and the friendly interaction with people. But when tourism suddenly stopped and Stingray City trips came to a halt, a big question hung in the air: what would happen to the stingrays if no one was there to feed them?

That’s where our Crazy Crab family stepped in.

Launching the Stingray Feeding Program

When tourism shut down and Stingray City excursions stopped, our own Troy Leacock stepped up to keep the stingrays healthy and happy. Working with a few fellow operators and the Ministry of Tourism, Troy set up and managed a program with 56 licensed operators, running fifteen trips a week dedicated to feeding stingrays and keeping them safe.

But these trips weren’t just about tossing squid. Each included an hour in the water with experienced handlers who knew the stingrays by sight — and often by personality. Just like on our charters today, the rays were greeted with care, fed the right way, and kept safe and calm.

With no Stingray City tours filling the Sandbar every day, a small team of captains carried the responsibility of keeping the magic alive — making sure the stingrays stayed healthy and ready to welcome guests back when Cayman reopened.

16 Months of Commitment

Over 16 months, 56 operators made 1,320 trips, feeding stingrays more than 13 tons of squid. Rain or shine, we kept showing up — keeping the rays happy, their bond with humans strong, and reminding everyone that Cayman’s most famous locals weren’t going anywhere.

It was a shining example of government, tourism, and community working together for conservation.

Why Helping the Stingrays Mattered

Without this effort, the stingrays might have wandered off, and Cayman could have lost one of its most iconic experiences. The rays are wild, but they’re creatures of habit, and when the daily visits and Stingray City excursions stopped, their numbers started to dip.

Structured, consistent feedings kept that connection alive — and it worked. When visitors returned, the stingrays were still here, still healthy, and still eager to interact.

Seeing the Stingrays Bounce Back

Today, Stingray City is thriving again. When you join us on a Crazy Crab private charter to Stingray City, you’ll meet many of the same rays that made it through the pandemic with us — plus new ones that have joined the family.

There’s something special about knowing our wonderful stingrays didn’t just survive those quiet months — they flourished. The population has rebounded, and the magic of Stingray City is as strong as ever.

More Than Tourism: A Shared Responsibility

For us at Crazy Crab, this was never just about keeping a tourist attraction alive. It was about stewardship and respect. The stingrays are part of what makes Cayman so special, and looking after them is something we see as a responsibility.

That sense of care is something we carry into every single charter. When we take you to meet our friendly stingrays, it’s not just a photo opportunity — it’s a chance to connect with these amazing creatures in a respectful, sustainable way.

We believe that when people have meaningful experiences with nature, they’re more likely to care about protecting it. That’s why the feeding program during the pandemic mattered so much. It wasn’t just about food — it was about preserving a bond between people and wildlife that has become part of Cayman’s identity.

A Stingray Story to Remember

Every time we head out on the water with our guests, we’re reminded of that extraordinary season when the island came together to look after its most famous residents. It’s a story of resilience — both for the stingrays and for the tourism-dependent Cayman community.

And now, every visitor who kneels in the water and feels a stingray brush past them is part of the next chapter in that story.

Ready to meet and feed the stingrays yourself? Book your private Crazy Crab adventure today and experience the magic firsthand: Book a Charter