Are there stingrays in Perdido Key, and how do you avoid them?

Rather than lifting and planting your feet (which can land squarely on a buried ray), shuffle them forward through the sand in the shallow water. The vibration warns the ray, and it darts away before you ever touch it. It's the single most effective thing you can do, and locals do it automatically.

A stingray barb causes a sharp, painful wound. Soak it in water as hot as you can tolerate (this breaks down the venom and eases the pain), clean it thoroughly, and get medical attention — barbs can break off and wounds infect easily. Seek emergency care for a sting to the torso or any severe reaction.

Warm months, calm days, and the shallow trough between the sand and the first bar — the same knee-deep water kids play in. They're after the small crabs and clams that live there, and they settle in the sand to rest between meals. Rough surf disperses them; a glassy afternoon after a few calm days is prime time. Rays are also common around the passes and on the bay side, so shuffle there too, and watch where you plant a paddleboard or step off a boat.

Southern stingrays, cownose rays gliding in schools, and the occasional big spotted eagle ray are some of the best wildlife you'll see from a balcony or the sandbar. They're shy and want nothing to do with you. Nearly every sting here is a foot landing on a buried ray in the shallows — hence the shuffle. Snorkelers should just look and never reach. If you spot one, tell the kids to look and keep their feet still.