Has There Ever Been Sharks Spotted on Castaway Cay?

[Zandy595]

There was just an article in the Sun Sentinel last week about a man who died from a shark attack off the Bahamas. He was on one of those dives where they feed the sharks. This is stupid because it makes sharks associate people with food. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission banned shark feeding in 2001, but some tour operators obviously still do it. That's why I like to stay on the family beach with the netting.

 

[Pluto 2]

There is a predator net protecting the family beach but not at the adult beach. I once saw a nurse shark there...they are non-violent so it was very cool. People were saying there were actually two, but I only saw one as it swam by me.

does this mean dcl cares more about the kids than the adults?

 

[Stitch's O'hana]

This might be a dumb question, but why does Disney not put up one of those nets at the adult beach to keep the sharks out? It just does not make any sense to me, why they would not! I guess my mom and I will stick with the family beach!

 

[tink_lover]

The barracudas look like a big muskie - which will sometimes nip a finger or toe (hey, I'm a MN girl ) DH is deathly afraid of sharks but years ago, during an amazing stay at the Atlantis, we did spend a fair amount of time in the water. Now, he says he can't believe we did that as he has seen the aerial view and seen all the shadows. We will probably stay on the family beach.

 

[Zandy595]

This might be a dumb question, but why does Disney not put up one of those nets at the adult beach to keep the sharks out? It just does not make any sense to me, why they would not! I guess my mom and I will stick with the family beach!

Probably because some people like to see the larger sea life when they snorkel. I, myself do not really want to come face to face with something that can eat me.

 

[LisaG520]

Sort of OT - but DH saw an octopus while snorkeling at Serenity Bay on our last cruise! He said it was pretty cool to see swimming below him.

It further enforced my decision to never go in the ocean!!

 

[Dizzyworld]

In Aug. 2007, I went on the fishing excursion with my DS on CC. It was my first time fishing anywhere. The first thing I hooked was a shark. It finally snapped the line and was gone, but it was pretty exciting for me. My DS did catch a 3 ft. approx. 16 lb. baraccuda. The fishing boat captain took it home for dinner. My DS wants to do the Fishing excursion for the 3rd time this summer.

In 2006, we parasailed at CC on our second stop at there. They will dip you in the water and then bring you back up in the air. It is pretty cool. Anyway, after the excursion, my DS says he was surprised the dipped people in the water since that is where they saw the sharks earlier in the week when he was fishing the first time.

 

[Zandy595]

In Aug. 2007, I went on the fishing excursion with my DS on CC. It was my first time fishing anywhere. The first thing I hooked was a shark. It finally snapped the line and was gone, but it was pretty exciting for me. My DS did catch a 3 ft. approx. 16 lb. baraccuda. The fishing boat captain took it home for dinner. My DS wants to do the Fishing excursion for the 3rd time this summer.

In 2006, we parasailed at CC on our second stop at there. They will dip you in the water and then bring you back up in the air. It is pretty cool. Anyway, after the excursion, my DS says he was surprised the dipped people in the water since that is where they saw the sharks earlier in the week when he was fishing the first time.

I thought you couldn't eat barracuda because of ciguatera poisoning.

 

[bschiffler]

Hey Tinklover! I saw "muske" and figured it most be a fellow Minnesotan! Where are you in MN?

 

[Mom24Princesses]

This might be a dumb question, but why does Disney not put up one of those nets at the adult beach to keep the sharks out? It just does not make any sense to me, why they would not! I guess my mom and I will stick with the family beach!

The family beach has that strip of land that blocks it from the open ocean as well so it was easier to hang the nets. SB is open ocean.

We are big snorkelers. We snorkel out deep on our on and with guides. The only thing our last boat guide said was you might want to watch the jewelry. The larger animals might think it is a small tropical fish since some of them sparkle.

 

[dahuffy]

Hey Tinklover! I saw "muske" and figured it most be a fellow Minnesotan! Where are you in MN?

I'm Mpls born and raised myself!

 

[bschiffler]

I bet you don't miss the MN winters! I grew up in the Champlin area.

 

[dahuffy]

I bet you don't miss the MN winters! I grew up in the Champlin area.

I do miss it at Christmas. Just difficult to get into the "spirit". We've been down here over 20 yrs now. Least up there we could drive a mile in any direction and be at a beach,here forget it. Have yet to see an actual sand beach. Besides,who wants to swim in red water?

We lived in Mpls till I was about 10 then moved to Bloomington. My DH lived in Richfield his whole life. After we got married in '79, my parents moved down here, we followed them down in '81.

 

[bschiffler]

We are up at our cabin in Brainerd right now and I have to say if I ever left the state, it would be the MN summers up here that I would miss the most and the cold, snowy Christmas'.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Yes....when we were at Serenity Bay there was a nurse or sand shark. Very small and non threatening. Was cool to watch.

The two other times we had been to Serenity Bay we never saw any sharks. But, I was always looking around very paranoid because of the "shark talk" I read on the DISboards before our cruises. DH and I DID snorkel. But, we didn't go too far from shore. I saw some people way out. That really scared me because I honestly don't remember seeing a lifeguard at SB. We plan to "escape" to SB again on our upcoming September cruise. With all this nurse shark talk, I wanted to know more about them before our cruise and I thought I would share this with y'all . . .

The nurse shark is a common inshore bottom-dwelling shark, found in tropical and subtropical waters on the continental and insular shelves. It is frequently found at depths of one meter or less but may occur down to 12 m. Its common habitats are reefs, channels between mangrove islands and sand flats. It occurs in the Western Atlantic from Rhode Island down to southern Brazil;in the Eastern Atlantic from Cameroon to Gabon (and possibly ranges further north and south); in the Eastern Pacific from the southern Baja California to Peru; and around the islands of the Caribbean.

It has been reported in some unprovoked attacks on humans but is not generally perceived as a threat.

I assume like "most" creatures in the sea. If you leave it alone, it will leave you alone.

Jennifer

 

[Im_A_Princess]

We saw a barracuda at the adult beach.
A few people were kicking at it and stuff. DUH!!!!
A CM called them in away from it and it left.
Also we saw 2 sting rays close up at the adult beach.

 

[barney4liz]

I've posted about this before, but we saw some big nurse sharks when we did the hiking and kayak tour of CC in October '06. It was very cool and they were never a threat. That is a wonderful excursion btw -- we had an entire chunk of the island to ourselves (me, DD, another couple, and 2 guides).

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Ok, in october 06 I was swimming far out on the family beach. This man was on the play thing that the life gaurds were on, he shouted hey lady theres a ******* coming your way. I never caught what he said, I thought it included puff something or another, anyway I kinda smiled nervously and he said , I aint joking and hes a big one, I was paralized. I was wanting to shout, IS THAT ****** GOOD OR SHOULD I START SWIMMING!!!!! I just started swimming quietly for shore, then they got everybody out the water after that for half an hour, I am from scotland and am so annoyed I never caught what he said. It has bugged me ever since, I was so traumatised i went back to the ship for a lie down and a glass of wine!

Will be going back in though this year, in fact cant wait, compared to the buses,lorries and cars I will take my chance with the gorgoeus sea animals any day

 

[quinnc19]

I'm not sure if that's why Disney doesn't have one at the adult beach or not, but they "catch" and kill endangered sea life like turtles and dolphins.

 

[The_Ryno]

I'm not sure if that's why Disney doesn't have one at the adult beach or not, but they "catch" and kill endangered sea life like turtles and dolphins.

It could also be combined with the fact that the adult beach is open ocean, so therefore would require more netting in open ocean. While the family beach is closed off for the most part from the open ocean because of of lagoon like setting.
There is less risk of a turtle, dolphin, or other large sea life coming into that part of the island opposed to the adult beach. IMO this is great on Disney's part to help protect the ocean life and give adults the chance to see some creatures in there natural environment.