Sharks, Castaway Cay????

[Kimberly9701]

She is the one who mentioned to me. So she's already just a tad anxious .

Take this opportunity to teach her about sharks, and marine life in general! By all means, don't frighten her, but you may want to do snorkeling excursions elsewhere, and at those ages they could also learn to dive, but even if snorkel only they will get an amazing experience. I'm an avid diver, so I'm obviously biased But to me, the best thing to avoid fear is education.

 

[Kimberly9701]

I read the season is April - July in Caribbean .
Article states they've had good reports that SEA SAFE lotion works well. Already have mine be sure and apply it under swimsuit area as well as on exposed areas

If you shower when getting out of the ocean you should be fine. In 38 years I have never used special lotion, and I've never got sea lice. I've been pinched by a crab and stung by a jelly fish- that's about the worst of it.

The ocean is amazing. Sea life is incredible to witness. As a pp said...definitely do not wear jewelry in the ocean..I've yet to see a barracuda bother anyone who didn't have a shiny object on them...and even if so, those cases are rare. Don't worry!!!! Just have fun!

 

[Ozarkglittergirl]

The granddaughters can swim and snorkel like fish. I think this being her first time to ever see the ocean is over stimulating her imagination? They both love sea life and animals. I think she's heard too many stories on the news about shark attacks, plain and simple.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Just remind her that they shark attacks only make the news because they are so rare. We don't see common things in the news all the time.

 

[phinz]

Just remind her that they shark attacks only make the news because they are so rare. We don't see common things in the news all the time.

They also make the news because the United States has a bad case of schadenfreude, and stuff like shark attacks sell advertising and boost ratings.

 

[Ozarkglittergirl]

Very good points

 

[DisneyNurse4Life]

I'm sure this is the wrong thread and I apologize if it is, but are personal pool floats permitted on Castaway Cay, or must one rent from Castaway Cay if they desire an inner tube or raft?

 

[TestingH2O]

I'm sure this is the wrong thread and I apologize if it is, but are personal pool floats permitted on Castaway Cay, or must one rent from Castaway Cay if they desire an inner tube or raft?

Any flotation device brought on board must be coast guard approved. I don't know how you would bring an inner tube with you, but you can rent them on the island.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm sure this is the wrong thread and I apologize if it is, but are personal pool floats permitted on Castaway Cay, or must one rent from Castaway Cay if they desire an inner tube or raft?

From the DCL website:

Items prohibited on board ship and on Castaway Cay.

• Kites, balloons, surfboards, wave boards, inflatable floats, pool noodles, inflatable pools and wagons

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/prohibited-items/list/

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Sharks are rarely seen at Castaway Cay. But they have been seen there. Let me clarify, these are the smaller nurse sharks, not the "jaws" type that will eat you. Mostly they avoid people.

And you much less likely to find them on the family beach than Serenity Bay (although it does happen). Family beach has nets to keep the larger fish out. Serenity Bay doesn't.

It's been many years, but here's a picture of a shark I encountered while snorkeling in Serenity Bay.

Look close and you can see his outline at about 9 o'clock on the left edge.
Back when I first published this image here in the forum, others that looked at the image suggested it was a reef shark. Given that the water was about 4' deep, you can sort of make out that this shark was about 6' long.
Still not a JAWS shark, and the reef sharks are most likely going to leave you alone. But there's more than just nurse sharks out in those waters.

 

[Dug720]

While not super common, it IS the ocean and that IS their home.

That said, the vast majority of them are not out to hurt us. They're just doing their shark thing.

 

[bumbershoot]

While not super common, it IS the ocean and that IS their home.

That said, the vast majority of them are not out to hurt us. They're just doing their shark thing.

That sign specifically is why I was sure to explain it all to DS. Because if I'd said "there's nothing to worrry about" and hen he saw that sign it would have been all over.

(I know this is an old post but the op's sig indicates the trip is still in the future. )

And then my nervous nelly boy, who said he would stay on the boat the whole day, went and did the full antigua excursion the other day inckuding a cave and walking on "hells gate" with the big real scary ocean right there, and then snorkeled with the leader, diving underwater and just being a regular fish. In the ocean. Sharks be darned.

12 year olds are funny creatures!

 

[tigerchic89]

this past Oct, I was snorkeling in the family lagoon. I saw a pretty good sized sea turtle, which was amazing. While swimming in, I saw a shark. I don't know the difference between the different types, but it did kind of freak me out. I figured that it was harmless, but I was still a bit afraid. I just calmly but swiftly swam away from it and headed to shore.

 

[phinz]

For those who worry about shark attacks, here's a map for 2016. There have been two incidents off the coast of Great Abaco, both on the other side of the island. The Bahamas *rarely* have shark issues. You're more likely to get bitten while swimming at Cocoa Beach the day before you embark.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...No-DKsVqQ&ll=24.644626240962733,-74.53125&z=7

 

[OKW Lover]

This thread, and another similar one here on the boards, has be wondering if there has ever been a shark biting incident on Castaway Cay. I can't recall one and I know that DCL has been using this island since the inaugural cruise in 1998.

 

[jrabbit]

here's my pictures of a shark at CC. This is at the back of the island - on the kayaking excursion. We took the tram to Serenity Beach and walked the road parallel to the beach to the back of the island.

The water here was only about 1.5 feet deep, and this monster was at most 2 feet long ...

 

[truck1]

here's my pictures of a shark at CC. This is at the back of the island - on the kayaking excursion. We took the tram to Serenity Beach and walked the road parallel to the beach to the back of the island.

The water here was only about 1.5 feet deep, and this monster was at most 2 feet long ...
View attachment 211359 View attachment 211360

Looks like a sleeping nurse shark.

 

[OKW Lover]

Looks like a sleeping nurse shark.

Everything anybody wanted to know about nurse sharks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_shark

 

[truck1]

Heres something to keep in mind. Sharks wont bother humans, because we are not on their menu. Each shark has a relatively specific diet, and were not it. I took this picture in Key Largo and that Bull Shark couldn't have cared less, that I was near it. Neither did the Nurse shark that was swimming directly below me or the Hammerhead that I saw 2 years later. If your still not convinced check out this video. This is a great white in the Keys, on 1 of my favorite wrecks.

 

[phinz]

This is a great white in the Keys, on 1 of my favorite wrecks.

She's absolutely gorgeous.