Castaway Cay - Sharks?

[trimix]

I always love an excuse to pull this picture back out...

I was snorkling off the adult beach in about 6' deep water (so no, I was NOT extreamly close to the shore, but was inside those orange markers you see way out there. Well I spotted this fella and managed to get a picture before he swam out of view. I was never scared... but when I considered that I was about 100 yards from shore, I did start paying more attention to my surroundings the rest of the day.

It's not obvious to spot, but look just below the 9 o'clock position and you'll spot the outline of what is believed to be about a 6' reef shark that was about 40' away.

You are so lucky, and I am so jealous! Of all my logged scuba dives, I have only had the privilege of seeing sharks on three of those dives.

But, at least I can boast that I have seen a great white shark in the ocean - I was off Anacapa, one of California's channel islands, and saw it about 20 feet away as I exited a kelp forest.

Sharks are beautiful creatures - I wish they were protected from finning and emasculated men with low self esteem who try to make themselves feel manly by catching one from the total safety of a boat.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Is it a shark fence or shark net? Ds13 is a huge lover of the ocean and like pp, wouldn't want any sea life injured by mankind and our 'priorities'. He's very concerned that sharks would get tangled in the net and starve to death. He says it happens to sea life 'all the time'. We were even raised to cut up 6 pack rings from soda cans since dolphins and other sea life can get a ring around their head & mouth and then be unable to feed.

I'd love to be able to tell him it's a hard fence, not a net.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

I always love an excuse to pull this picture back out...

I was snorkling off the adult beach in about 6' deep water (so no, I was NOT extreamly close to the shore, but was inside those orange markers you see way out there. Well I spotted this fella and managed to get a picture before he swam out of view. I was never scared... but when I considered that I was about 100 yards from shore, I did start paying more attention to my surroundings the rest of the day.

It's not obvious to spot, but look just below the 9 o'clock position and you'll spot the outline of what is believed to be about a 6' reef shark that was about 40' away.

Guess it's the family snorkel area for me!! Wouldn't have to worry about the Shark eating me, because I'd be dead of a heart attack before he could think of taking a bite!!

 

[mndisfam]

We were there once when a bunch of kids ran/swam up to me in the water, and pointed as "Barry" (i guess) swam under me. I have seen several sting rays. I think the percentage of shark spottings goes up during Shark Week!

 

[sdchickie]

There's an ENORMOUS grouper that likes to hang out under one of the lifeguard's stations on the snorkeling train. He (or she-hard to tell with groupers) definitely wouldn't have fit through the net!

I don't know what a grouper looks like, but is this the guy you're refering to?

He was very friendly and kept on swimming around and around us until I took his picture then he left. He must love the attention!

 

[leiacake]

Hi!
Those are beatiful pictures! The water is magnificent!
For sure that is NOT a grouper. I am not an expert, but I think it might be a grey snapper.

I too am deathly afraid of sharks. I love the ocean, but the thought of sharks kind of ruins it for me!:0 I will not go beyond knee deep in the water here in NY because of a close encounter with what I am sure was a shark when I was a teen.

It is reasurring to hear about the shark fence.......so it is the family beach for me and my son!!!!! We will be on the Wonder Oct 3 2010 .....any fellow shark fearers sailing with us?

 

[txsoccermom]

OMG....why, why, why did I have to read this We are sailing in Mar 2011, so here's to hoping the water is too cold to get in and/or it's not the season for the sharks/barricuda, etc to be there

Oh my.....

 

[CaptainNemo]

I don't know what a grouper looks like, but is this the guy you're refering to?

He was very friendly and kept on swimming around and around us until I took his picture then he left. He must love the attention!

That's a mutton snapper. They are quite common in the Caribbean and are excellent eating. As far as the baracuda are concerned, I have seen them and allways get excited by the sight. They rarely attack.

 

[Blanche_Neige]

On another cruise, we had to make an unscheduled stop after CC because a 13-year old boy decided to tease a nearby barracuda (probably not Barry!) who took a sizeable chunk out of his hand and he needed some stitches and a tetanus shot/antibiotics.

was this on a DCL cruise? (it' must be since you mention CC) I don;t understand why they would need to make an unscheduled stop, don;t they have the medical supplies to do stitches and a tetanus shot/antibiotics.

 

[oldshovelhead]

I hate sharks! I spent 5 years in the Coast Guard and the only time I would go into the ocean after the things I saw was to save someone. Now here I am during my lunch hour reading these posts...it's quiet in my office, I'm thinking sharks, remembering old sea stories, and my cell phone vibrates in my pants pocket from a text message...

Will someone please scrape me off the ceiling now???

 

[Kirbo]

I hate sharks! I spent 5 years in the Coast Guard and the only time I would go into the ocean after the things I saw was to save someone. Now here I am during my lunch hour reading these posts...it's quiet in my office, I'm thinking sharks, remembering old sea stories, and my cell phone vibrates in my pants pocket from a text message...

Will someone please scrape me off the ceiling now???

Hugs to you. But you made me laugh. Thank you

 

[ZDARA1999]

We actually had a barracuda swim through everyone on the family beach a couple of years ago. Some staff were in the water having fun with the passengers at the time. They started yelling for everyone to just stand still and let it go by. It was eerie to see everyone freeze until it passed by.

The staff didn't seem too surprised to see it. I guess things get in there. It is the carribean. At least it's natural--unlike a lot of the things that wash up on our beach in jersey!

We also encounter a meeting with barracuda at CC when snorkeling in 2008.

 

[liberty6201]

was this on a DCL cruise? (it' must be since you mention CC) I don;t understand why they would need to make an unscheduled stop, don;t they have the medical supplies to do stitches and a tetanus shot/antibiotics.

Yeah i must admit i wondered that too

 

[natale1980]

Just wanted to show you the friend we found at CC

 

[Blanche_Neige]

Just wanted to show you the friend we found at CC

yikes, ok now enough with all that!!!

don't get me wrong i love nature but not where my kids swim...



seriously now I'm getting a little hibijibis

 

[natale1980]

yikes, ok now enough with all that!!!

don't get me wrong i love nature but not where my kids swim...



seriously now I'm getting a little hibijibis

He/She was almost as far as you could go out. Plus as far as I know, noone went missing.

I am totaly freaked out by Sharks, but it was kind of cool to see that one.

-nat

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

OMG....why, why, why did I have to read this We are sailing in Mar 2011, so here's to hoping the water is too cold to get in and/or it's not the season for the sharks/barricuda, etc to be there

Oh my.....

me too. I know there's things swimming around in there, but I don't want to see them while I'm in the water. Especially big things.

 

[tinkmom2]

Here's a pic of the net around the family beach.

 

[Blanche_Neige]

I just googled a picture of a barricuda, yikes scarry looking

I didn't post it here because I didn't wan't to scare people...

 

[com_op_2000]

At Serenity Bay, I am on the beach, and DW is on a raft about 20 yards out. I start walking out to take her picture and all the little fish around me scatter. I start looking around and see a 3 - 4 foot Black Tip crusing through the water. Picture did not come out due to angle of sun and reflection off the water. My DW is splashing the water with her hands to move the raft, so I tell her to stop cause I see a shark. So what does DW do, she jumps off the raft and makes a bigger splash. The sharks turns towards her. I have to run and get between her and the shark.