Snorkle @ castaway Cay

[Luvdisney]

Can some one tell me if they allow swim fins in the snorkal swimming area?

 

[Mickeylover]

Absoloutely!

 

[Luvdisney]

Thanks, One more question. If we bring our own equipment with us is there an additional cost? I see in the booklet the all day rental allows in and out as often as you like. Sounds like maybe a fee if you don't rent there equipment?

 

[Tiggeriffic]

No, there is no fee for using your own snorkel equipment. All snorklers are required to wear an inflatable vest. However, those are available free of charge.

 

[Luvdisney]

Thanks!

 

[zaxmom]

I have never snorkled before, but it sounds like fun. They provide the vest, right. Does that mean all I need is a mask and snorkle? Would I need professional ones, or would the stuff at Target or Wal-Mart be acceptable. And another question, what exactly do you do? Are you just floating on your tummy with your head in the water looking around? Re you in deep water? ve year old could do? I guess I would like it if we could all learn to do it together. Thanks for listening to all my silly questions!

 

[vikingfans]

DH and I always bring out own snorkle gear... You can bring what ever you would like to wear, and what works for you! So the Wal-Mart stuff is ok with them if it's ok with you!!!

 

[vikingfans]

as to your other questions.. the best way to see the bottom is to float on your tummy and look around with your face in the water. That's why the snorkle is so handy..you can breath and look at the same time.

The water at castaway cay(in the snorkle area) is probably 8 to 12 feet deep. So probably over your head, but not horrendously deep. It just helps to be comfortable swimming in deep water on your own.

If you are just playing around the beach it gradually gets deeper so it would be very easy for a child to do.

My suggestion is to go to a pool or a beach before you sail and practice snorkling skills to prepare and you will know what it feels like before you get there.

 

[zaxmom]

Thanks! I am not really comfortable in water over my head, so I doubt I will enjoy this very much. Will I see any tropical looking fish if I am close to the beach, or do all the people scare everything away?

 

[vikingfans]

If there are alot of people, it's kind of tough to see fish. They will tend to scare them away.

If you want to see fish and you can sneak away from your darling child/children, head to the adult beach. That beach is very shallow, and you will be able to see fish and starfish!

It might be worth it for just and hour or so.

 

[GOVAC24]

We bought a cheapy set of goggles & snorkles for my DH & I when we went in May. No fins. It really worked out well without the fins. We found there was alot of fish swimming in the area even with lots of people. You have to go out between the A & B bouys to see Mickey! My DH is not a very good swimmer but he enjoyed the calmness of the snorkle area. Don't make the same mistake we did... make sure to put on sunscreen on your backs before going out. Time passes quickly while your out there enjoying the sites so you don't want to get burned.

Enjoy your trip!
Lisa

 

[MiaSRN62]

Snorkel early if you can---the water clarity is so much better. After noon-1 pm alot of the sand has been kicked up. We snorkeled way out as far as you could go---it sure seemed deeper than 12 ft out there but I'll take your word on that.
As for seeing fish close to shore---not too likely except for the very tiny little silver fish that are the size or minnows or smaller. We saw the bigger more colorful fish at least mid-way out. I suggest being a strong swimmer if you're going out into deeper water. The water was a bit choppy the day we were there (Nov 6, 2002).

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by Luvdisney
Can some one tell me if they allow swim fins in the snorkal swimming area?

Yes!! And I highly recommend using them if you want to find the Mickey statue!!

 

[airtime247]

Advice here from a person who can't swim! Actually, I can swim around fine but I sink when I stop. I don't know what it is but I just don't float. Never have been able to. Even on my back. I sound like a shark, don't I?!?

Anyway, the vest they issue for free will suffice even when you are out deep. I had no problems floating with the vest, even when it was well past my head.

The nice part about the fins is you can propel yourself so much faster. We got pretty tired when we were out far. We just relaxed and floated until we got more energy to swim back.

The vests also allowed me to snorkel with Captain Marvin's in Grand Cayman (the vests were free there as well). Two of the stops were too deep to stand. I would have regretted not going on this excursion and not snorkeling at Castaway Cay.

Have a great time!

-steve

 

[natdencro]

DH snorkled at CC last year, but got VERY sunburnt. Make sure you wear a tee-shirt along with the life-vest. He was very ill for several days afterwards. This year he was fine, thanks to his trusy Magic Kingdom shirt! Although you think you are under the water, your back isnt - and that sun is HOT!Be safe folks. Nat

 

[Honeychild]

One thought on wearing a t-shirt. Be careful thinking a t-shirt will protect you, you will still get sun through the shirt. Wear sunscreen under the shirt. Rit dye makes a "dye" that doesn't add color but it does add SPF. Treat you swim shirts before you leave home and that will help.

Also, I purchased shirts for my children, they are called Shark Skins and they have 100% SPF. (We live on the gulf coast of Florida and use them often.) I bought them at Wal-Mart and they were around $18.00 each. The tag had a picture of adult sizes but our Wal Mart didn't have the adult ones.

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by Honeychild
One thought on wearing a t-shirt. Be careful thinking a t-shirt will protect you, you will still get sun through the shirt. Wear sunscreen under the shirt. Rit dye makes a "dye" that doesn't add color but it does add SPF. Treat you swim shirts before you leave home and that will help.

Yes!! This was probably one of the BEST tips I got from this board. I washed all of the kids' and my DH's t-shirts in the Rit sunscreen stuff and they wore their t-shirts while snorkeling. No sunburn and my little guy is very fair.

The fins, again, are a great help if you're not a strong swimmer. We swam all the way out to find Mickey..I mean all the way to the ropes and then had to turn back and look some more. My little guy was exhausted by the time we headed back. He was pretty much just holding on to my back and I took us both in. If I didn't have the fins it would have been extremely hard to do it.