Have you ever seen a shark?

[Dancind]

OK, overprotective, alarmist Mom here. We're planning some snorkeling and possibly a dive at St. Martin and St. Thomas. For those of you that have been in the water, have you seen any sharks? Does time of year make any difference? Diana

 

[trishy]

Last July we rented a boat from Redhook and snorkel-hopped around St. John. We saw good sized sand sharks which were very friendly. The kids were not intimidated at all because they were acting just like all the other fish - curious little buggers. Didn't see even one larger size shark, though.

 

[AnnMorin]

Any time you are snorkleing in warm waters it is possible to encounter a shark. For the most part they could care less about you. When we were in the keys a few years ago DH came face to face with a nurse shark, startled him but the shark just swam on. The thing to do is not panic if you see one.

 

[Mike Bartenhagen]

I wouldn't worry. People pay to do it everyday. Here are some pics of my brother in law and myself in Nassau last year.

www.blackcows.com/sharks.html

 

[Dancind]

OK, I would panic if we encountered a shark that big. And my 11 yo DD? Forget it! She had a panic attack in the snorkel pool at Typhoon Lagoon, though I'm not sure it was about the sharks. Maybe we better rethink our excursion plans! Diana

 

[Mike Bartenhagen]

I wouldn't change your plans. The chances of you seeing a shark are probably small and even if you do you shouldn't be concerned. I did do the dives in St. M and St. T and did not see any sharks on either dive.

For anyone interested the St. M dive op that did the Disney excurision does do a shark dive in the afternoon. We did not know this before leaving the ship so we did not stay for fear our wives would throw us overboard if we left them with the kids all morning and all afternoon but a few people from the ship did stay and do the dive in the afternoon.

 

[chrisn]

My husband and my daughter's friend saw a 5 foot shark on the snorkel trail at the family beach on Castaway Cay! He said it was either a nurse or a reef shark. He told some cast members and they did not believe him saying that the beach had a protective netting but there was a shark "inside" the park! They were totally cool with it. I would have had a stroke followed by a heart attack!

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

"Inside the park" I remember that phrase from one of the
jaws movies..the one where the shark get inside Sea World or whatever, and no one believed them either. You go to the Everglades, you'll see alligators. Go to the mountains you will see bear. Go to the tropical oceans and SUPRISE!!! You may very well see a shark. It's HIS waters, after all. (But thank God Jaws was just a movie.... )

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

I just got a newsletter from Encarta today and it has an interesting article on the latest "epidemic".

http://encarta.msn.com/column/sciencesharks.asp

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

That was very interesting! Thanks for that...we don't see many sharks here in Mid-Michigan!

 

[doulasue]

We never saw a shark on our Disney cruise, however, we did see a cute little yellow and blue fish, I think his name was Flounder! Oh yeah, and a little red crab named Sebastian! -Sue

 

[Eisai Babe]

I have a son who is particularly anxiety ridden about things like sharks (and other scary stuff). If your child had a panic attack in Typhoon Lagoon, I would think you are right to be concerned about the potential for trouble in warm tropical waters. How about a snorkeling excursion just for you, and let the little one build sand castles, or look for neat shells, or something.

I also don't think you are over-protective. When your child freaks out over the little stuff, you don't want to create a situation where they might encounter the big stuff.

 

[fortwilderness]

Oh please don't take your child snorkeling if she is afraid of sharks or other sea life. I am horrified of touching any sea life - unless it is on my plate . I don't even know why because I have never had any bad experiences - I just am terrified of anything in the ocean touching me. I even wish I had not read that darn sea lice thread on this board because I didn't even know the stuff existed and then the whole time I was in the water at CC I kept thinking about it I also always wear water shoes because I am terrified of stepping on a crab, jellyfish, ect. "Something" touched my leg while on my float at CC and I didn't get back in the water the rest of the day Probably some of that darn sea lice

I heard the people next to me at CC talking about a small shark that they had seen while snorkeling there My husband had tried to get me to snorkel with him and boy was I glad that I didn't once I heard them talking about the shark.

Maybe you could leave her in her club while you go snorkeling ? As for me - I think I have simply watched one too many Jaws movies & nature films on scary sea creatures

 

[Pugdog007]

There was a barracuda in the water at Castaway Cay in May. It was scary... but for some reason no one else seemed too bothered by it. Everyone just yelled... WATCH OUT... THERE HE IS AGAIN...

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

I believe the CM's have named that barracuda. I don't remember what that name is, though. He's been around for awhile and has never bothered anybody.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

It's fairly difficult to avoid Barracuda while snorkeling in tropical waters. We have never gone snorkeling in the Keys without Barracuda all over the place. Leave them alone and they'll return the favor.
On the other hand, the day, off Key Largo, that I stuck my face in the water and saw a 7-8 foot reef shark just feet below me and our dive boat was over 50 yards away.................well, you'd be shocked how fast one can learn to walk (run) on water!!! While everyone else serenely followed rays and turtles around, I got some great sunset pics froms the shark free deck of the boat. I found out later that the dive company (aptly named, Sharky's) actually had a name for the creature....George.