Castaway Cay Serenity Bay limited swim area

[cyclenut]

I was just reading a note on Trip Advisor that Serenity Bay has reduced the swim area and adults will not be allowed to enjoy the larger area. For those that have been previously, there is an area further out in the bay that is not very deep that is teaming with fish. You don't even need to snorkel. It's a submerged engine block that is now out past the buoys.

The smaller area is reported to be to allow lifeguards to respond within 2 minutes. This is the adult beach. I should be able to assume the risk.

Anyone have recent experience with this? We sail in April and I was looking forward to going back out to that area of the bay. I like to explore and not just float in the water. Anyone have some recent experience with this? Hoping Disney decides to change it back.

 

[Budzooka]

Was there yesterday but Serenity Bay was closed due to the weather so can’t answer your question. We were without kids this time and looking forward to spending time on this beach.

 

[MUN]

We were there on NYD and the water was very shallow as far as you were able to go. It was impossible to swim at Serenity Bay that day. There was also a ton of seaweed on shore. We quickly headed back over to the Family Beach. I would use the word "awful" to describe Serenity Bay.

MUN

 

[anricat]

Last time two times we were there the water was so shallow, there really wasn't any "swimming" to be had. It was more like wading. It's beautiful and peaceful, but the water is just crazy shallow.

 

[kiford]

There was also a ton of seaweed on shore. We quickly headed back over to the Family Beach. I would use the word "awful" to describe Serenity Bay.

Might be a seasonal thing. We've been there mostly in early December and once in May and never had any issues with lots of seaweed on shore.

 

[MUN]

Might be a seasonal thing. We've been there mostly in early December and once in May and never had any issues with lots of seaweed on shore.

Could be, but we were there 2 years ago on the same cruise and I don't remember sea weed and I don't remember the lack of water. The sea weed was gross, but the lack of water made it impossible to do anything in the water other than walk in it.

MUN

 

[FigmentSpark]

Maybe the hurricanes swept in more sand to the beach, making it more shallow and a better environment for seaweed????

 

[BartmanLA]

That's what I was going to say, I'm guessing with the recent storms, and the location of the beach on the island it might have gotten a lot shallower due to the amount of sand and sediment being swept in from the undertow. Disney may have to employ a dredge to try to remedy the shallowness of the beach area if it keeps being a problem. Was there in Feb of 2015 and didn't notice it being extremely shallow or suffering from any seaweed infestation.

 

[JW9DVC]

We always go past the sand bar.

 

[Bishoparc]

That seaweed has been there since at least September and the tides have been extremely low. We went on 3 cruises from Sept to Dec last year and it's been there each time.

I should be able to assume the risk

It used to be wide open and have no life guards however someone died... Too much of a liability to not have a lifeguard.

 

[cyclenut]

My last time there was a year ago. I don't literally swim, but when the tide is in, the water is deep enough. There were lifeguards then too, but they still let you go out pretty far.
What I was referring to was a comment that they will no longer let you wander out as far into the water and definitely not as far as the submerged engine block.

Can anyone who has been there more recently confirm this?

 

[justme0729]

Does anyone have recent pictures of serenity bay to show the water depth? When we were there in June, it was deep enough to go over our heads if we wanted to

 

[Mediaavid]

I can’t get a picture uploaded, but last week where the buoys are everyone there could stand and keep their head above water. Some parts at the buoy markers were deeper then others.

 

[BrandyMcD]

We were at serenity bay on new year’s too. We’ve never been before so I guess we didn’t know any different; we loved it. It was too shallow to swim but the seaweed wasn’t too bad (also we are used to Galveston as our beach so pretty much anything is an improvement.)

 

[Trera]

looks more like Serenity Sand Bar

 

[dcassetta]

Incredible. I have never seen the tide so low at Serenity.

 

[Quellman]

I believe you won't be going out to the engine anymore. I know it isn't like it used to be with the new buoys and yes, even lifeguards on jet skis! Yes you would like to assume the risk of swimming out to sea. Disney would rather you didn't drown and they have to spend the rest of the day consoling your family or medflighting you to the mainland. An over cautious world? Perhaps. They had a series of unfortunate events in the past few years. So I guess they have the new safety first mentality.

 

[Andasibe]

Was just there two days ago. Was able to walk out to the fully exposed sandbar and was never deeper than my knees at about 10 in the morning, by 3 the water was waist deep at best. The "no swim" area is even shallower it appeared based on the fact that for most of the morning (tide came in about 3) more than 30 feet of what was clearly once under water was exposed. The lifeguards were relentless that you NOT even go close to the old water line over there, not sure what that reasoning was. Also of note, there were several groups of teenagers that they allowed on the beach, all with a tour of highschoolers from Brazil, the life guards did not enforce the rules for "adults only". The sea grass (and weeds) was a lot more than I have ever seen on 10 trips to Castaway AND the sea floor was more rocky than ever too, apparently there is a lot of sand erosion going on. First time in 10 cruises I was really disappointed with Serenity Bay. Ohh, but there was several conchs to see in the water, sand dollars, and a small shark in the area (the lifeguard chased him away)!

 

[dcassetta]

Was just there two days ago. Was able to walk out to the fully exposed sandbar and was never deeper than my knees at about 10 in the morning, by 3 the water was waist deep at best. The "no swim" area is even shallower it appeared based on the fact that for most of the morning (tide came in about 3) more than 30 feet of what was clearly once under water was exposed. The lifeguards were relentless that you NOT even go close to the old water line over there, not sure what that reasoning was. Also of note, there were several groups of teenagers that they allowed on the beach, all with a tour of highschoolers from Brazil, the life guards did not enforce the rules for "adults only". The sea grass (and weeds) was a lot more than I have ever seen on 10 trips to Castaway AND the sea floor was more rocky than ever too, apparently there is a lot of sand erosion going on. First time in 10 cruises I was really disappointed with Serenity Bay. Ohh, but there was several conchs to see in the water, sand dollars, and a small shark in the area (the lifeguard chased him away)!

This would have necessitated a trip to guest services for me.

 

[cyclenut]

Wow. I know that things change and a natural beach will change over time, but this seems to be a pretty dramatic change. Add to that the idea that the lifeguards have become more aggressive and I start to wonder if they've taken the "adult" out of the adult beach. One of the things I really liked about Serenity was how few were really there and how much fun it was to just explore the bay. There is so little risk with the water being shallow and no real currents to speak of.

I may be making my first trip to the family beach this time around. I've never been over there. Ever. Couldn't even tell you what it looks like.