Doug Perrine Discovers Saipan's Eagle Rays

Doug Perrine of SeaPics.com blogs while on his trip to Saipan, one of the few places in the world reputed to have regularly-occurring and approachable schools of spotted eagle rays. Stay tuned for more of Doug's updates! Spotted eagle rays, Aetobatus narinari, are a joy to watch, flitting about tropical reefs and sand banks like giant aquatic butterflies. The only problem for divers is that they are notorious for being incredibly shy. However, it was said that the rays in Saipan - a 122 sq km island due east of Manila, situated halfway between Japan and New Guinea in the tropical Western North Pacific - are significantly tolerant, allowing divers to approach for a closer view of these magnificent creatures. FiNS sent me to find out the truth of the matter...