Castaway Cay security? Private boats ever land on the island?

[stevenpensacola]

After looking at aerial photos of CC, I can't help but wonder how they deal with security on the island....as a Disney ship is there only twice a week, normally?

Just wondering how they deal with someone in a private boat landing on the other side of the island? Do you think the "islandkeepers" who live on the island are armed?

Here's to smooth sailing for everyone!

 

[Mickeyhugger]

After looking at aerial photos of CC, I can't help but wonder how they deal with security on the island....as a Disney ship is there only twice a week, normally?

Just wondering how they deal with someone in a private boat landing on the other side of the island? Do you think the "islandkeepers" who live on the island are armed?

The Wonder visits twice a week and the Magic once a week and sometimes twice when there is a double dip.

I would venture to say that "certain members" could be trained and have access to some sort of fire arms. If this is the case Disney will never say one way or the other.

Rob

 

[Zandy595]

Interesting question. Didn't Castaway Cay/Gorda Cay have a lot of drug traffic back in the day? I thought I read that somewhere, probably here.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Interesting question. Didn't Castaway Cay/Gorda Cay have a lot of drug traffic back in the day? I thought I read that somewhere, probably here.

I have read the same thing, maybe that is why there is a runway on the island

 

[MGM94]

I have read the same thing, maybe that is why there is a runway on the island

I read or have seen something on tv about that being why the runway is there. It was for drug trafficking and was already on the island. I always assumed it was part of the show (decoration) LOL. So I am sure they are well armed when the ships are not around.

 

[awatt]

i don't know about CC but it does happen on some of the other cruise line private islands.

We have friends who are sailing around the Caribbean and Central/South AmerIca for 2-3 years. We met up with them in at Atlantis last year. We were talking about cruising. They mentioned that some of the sailing boats have gotten wind of the private islands, and where they are, and they drop in for the free buffet! When you are living on a boat, and getting certain foods is difficult, the buffet must be heavenly. If you think about it it would be easy because no ID's are checked on the island. And the fact they are able to do it tells me ther is not much security watching who comes and goes, or it is very loose.

 

[gometros]

Interesting question. Didn't Castaway Cay/Gorda Cay have a lot of drug traffic back in the day? I thought I read that somewhere, probably here.

Gorda Cay was rumored to have been a smuggler's haven at one time.

Castaway Cay has residential facilities on the other side of the island for some cast members. I would assume there is some security on the island.

 

[outahere]

Castaway Cay (Gorda Cay) definitely has a "past". Here is a link to an article written by a man whose grandfather owned the island at one time:

http://outside.away.com/magazine/0199/9901blackbeard.html

 

[inkkognito]

When we were on CocoCay, RCCL's private island, I ran into a mother and child from a private sailboat that was docked on the other side of the island. Nobody seemed to think anything of it. I don't know if they were crashing the buffet; I just ran into them walking along a far-flung section of beach and had a little chat before continuing on my way.

 

[pgsahm2]

Maybe Castaway Cay is just as hard to find as the island on LOST. Perhaps the Magic and Wonder captains have access to the exact coordinates whereas no one else can find the island since it's "hidden".

On our cruise next year I will definitely be on the lookout for Sawyer and Jack and Sayid.

 

[macosx]

Maybe Castaway Cay is just as hard to find as the island on LOST. Perhaps the Magic and Wonder captains have access to the exact coordinates whereas no one else can find the island since it's "hidden".

On our cruise next year I will definitely be on the lookout for Sawyer and Jack and Sayid.

Security by obscurity? Not these days!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castaway_Cay

"Castaway Cay is a private island or "out island" in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port of call for the Disney Cruise Line ships Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. It is located at 26°05′N, 77°32′W near Great Abaco Island, and was formerly known as Gorda Cay..."

Here's next to Florida:
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&q=2...6.09294,-77.530775&spn=9.266668,20.214844&z=6

Zoom in here for a close up:
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&q=2...6.09294,-77.530775&spn=0.036229,0.078964&z=14

"Operation Dinner Out is a go. Confirm? -- Correct. Dinner Out is a go."

 

[Zandy595]

Security by obscurity? Not these days!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castaway_Cay

"Castaway Cay is a private island or "out island" in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port of call for the Disney Cruise Line ships Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. It is located at 26°05′N, 77°32′W near Great Abaco Island, and was formerly known as Gorda Cay..."

Here's next to Florida:
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&q=2...6.09294,-77.530775&spn=9.266668,20.214844&z=6

Zoom in here for a close up:
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&q=2...6.09294,-77.530775&spn=0.036229,0.078964&z=14

"Operation Dinner Out is a go. Confirm? -- Correct. Dinner Out is a go."

It's not that far from where I live. If I only had a boat...

You can get an even closer map on Yahoo. It shows one of the ships there.

 

[pgsahm2]

Security by obscurity? Not these days!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castaway_Cay

"Castaway Cay is a private island or "out island" in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port of call for the Disney Cruise Line ships Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. It is located at 26°05′N, 77°32′W near Great Abaco Island, and was formerly known as Gorda Cay..."

Yep, I know it's really an island. My attempt at humor was a miserable failure... (Oh well... Only 90 minutes until LOST )

 

[Remember_the_magic]

as a Disney ship is there only twice a week, normally?

This is not entirely true The Disney Wonder does 3 and 4 day cruises and visits the island on an average of 3 times a week and the Disney Magic visits the Island 1 time a week.

The DCL Cast&Crew members that live on the island are not armed but there is a full time security guard on the island his primary job is not to protect the island but to help in maintenance on the island he has a firearm but has not had to use it. The Coast Guard is the main defense for the island. If anything were to happen the island is connected directly to the Coast Guard via satellite phone and radio. Disney has had very little trouble with trespassers. Occasionally a stray boats attempts to come on the island but the cast and crew have been told to ask for Identification from Disney allowing permission on the island. If they can't provide the ID they are asked to leave and if the newcomers believe they are supposed to stay on the island they are told to contact Disney. No problem has ever occurred where force was needed. Flare guns and other distress beacons are also located on the island incase of a true emergency.

Just thought I’d clear some things up…

 

[CarolG]

...The Coast Guard is the main defense for the island. If anything were to happen the island is connected directly to the Coast Guard via satellite phone and radio. …

Just curious - why would the US Coast Guard provide "defense" for a Bahamian island? It's not part of the United States and is not in US coastal waters.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

This is not entirely true The Disney Wonder does 3 and 4 day cruises and visits the island on an average of 3 times a week and the Disney Magic visits the Island 1 time a week.

The DCL Cast&Crew members that live on the island are not armed but there is a full time security guard on the island his primary job is not to protect the island but to help in maintenance on the island he has a firearm but has not had to use it. The Coast Guard is the main defense for the island. If anything were to happen the island is connected directly to the Coast Guard via satellite phone and radio. Disney has had very little trouble with trespassers. Occasionally a stray boats attempts to come on the island but the cast and crew have been told to ask for Identification from Disney allowing permission on the island. If they can't provide the ID they are asked to leave and if the newcomers believe they are supposed to stay on the island they are told to contact Disney. No problem has ever occurred where force was needed. Flare guns and other distress beacons are also located on the island incase of a true emergency.

Just thought I’d clear some things up…

where did you learn this?

 

[beachblanket]

Just curious - why would the US Coast Guard provide "defense" for a Bahamian island? It's not part of the United States and is not in US coastal waters.

BINGO - some DISers assume Disney and the U.S. Government have domain control everywhere!!

 

[MACfamily4]

My father was on a private deep-sea fishing boat several years ago and "stumbled" upon Castaway Cay. As they were anchoring in one of the coves on the other side of the island, they were met by Disney security in a boat. They were told that the island was private property and promptly escorted back out to sea. It was non-confrontational, but very clear that non-Disney guests would not be tolerated.

 

[KarenP99]

I don't think the post said US Coast Guard, do the Bahamas have a CG?

 

[CarolG]

There is a Royal Bahamas Defence Force: http://www.rbdfmil.com/index.html

You can see their fleet here: http://www.rbdfmil.com/equipment.html