Why do stingrays jump out of the water?

Recently I was looking out over the Biscayne Bay towards Monument Island, daydreaming of when I’d be able to open water swim to it.

It looks like this…

In these waters, around the sailboats, I saw a giant stingray jump out of the water, multiple times. I’m used to seeing dolphins, manatees, and even sharks swimming through this path, but I have never seen a stringray jump out of the water.

As if this goal of swimming across the Bay to Monument island wasn’t already scary enough — the distance, the sharks, I now face these flying, stinging sea creatures in my path to glory.

Every night I look at Monument Island like Atreyu from Neverending Story as he approaches the Spinxes’ Gate.