Sounds like a great trip, and a lot of paddling.
For reference this photo is the wing tips of Mantas, or other Rays
Pinto is looking much better than in October, he looked like he had been scalped, we had to cut a huge flap of dead skin off his head.
The wan-o-war you can grab with your finger tips, just try to avoid the tentacles. I usually just grab the bubble and pull them out of the boat. IF you do get a tentacle on you you can also grab that with your fingertips, they don't seem to sting through the thicker skin on your fingers.
Can't wait to get back down there in 2008, I'll be there in May July and October again.