Poll: who has encountered a shark while snorkeling?

[jkovick]

I read a thread a little while ago about someone being nervous about sharks (which I totally understand). Thought it would be helpful to see how many people have actually seen one while snorkeling.

 

[val2001]

Yes, I saw a small nurse shark while snorkeling in the keys about 9 years ago. Not a very big shark. It basically just sat on the bottom while everyon eon the snorkeling excursion swam around it. This was NOT associated with a Disney cruise, just a trip to the keys with friends.

 

[chrisn]

Saw a 5 foot Nurse or Reef (he wasn't sure) shark while snorkeling at Castaway Cay. My daughter's Common Grounds buddy saw it too. Hubby and daughter came face to face with a 4 foot Barracuda at Chankanaab Park in Cozumel.

 

[Wendybird63]

Though I've never seen one while snorkeling, friends of mine have seen leopard sharks, at least I think that was the type. Totally harmless.
My family also saw barracudas while in Chankanaab Park on our last DC. Terrifying looking, but again, harmless.

 

[CAMICKEY]

Yes I have - From a trip to Molokini in Hawaii. We actually never even noticed it while we were snorkeling but when we watched the video that we purchased, there it was. Sort of interesting to see this after the fact. It will not prevent us from snorkeling in the future though. - Mike

 

[TMTIP]

Watch out for the barracudas if you are wearing earrings! I was snorkling in the keys and a barracuda was very interested in my gold earrings that were sparkling in the water. I covered them with my hands and he eventually swam off. I don't wear any jewerly while snorkling anymore.

Tracy

 

[Phrebert]

We went to guam and saw where my DW lived. We were swimmingalong the of a reef and looked down and saw a HUGE hammerhead about 10 feet away. There was no way it could have gotten to us but WOW.

 

[mickeyboat]

We saw a very small (3 ft) one in St. John on our honeymoon. It was very close to shore. We were alone on the beach and figured where there are little ones, there are big ones, so we high-tailed it out of there.

Denae

 

[prymsu]

In all the times I have snorkeled, the only times i have seen sharks are when i actually booked excursions to snorkel with sharks.

Once in Belize outside of san pedro - nurse sharks

Once in Nassau through an excursion with Stuart's Cove - tons of carribean reef sharks.

Awesome!

 

[justmestace]

Twice, but neither time on a Disney cruise.

Once was in Belize, also just off San Pedro, and the other time was just this last November, in Bonaire.

I don't remember what type the one in Belize was, but our boat operator seemed upset, he pulled me out of the water and into the boat.

The one in Bonaire was a small nurse shark, close to the bottom in shallow water. I just kept gliding slowly over and past it.

Have seen barracuda many, many times, and even though they have never bothered us, every instructor I've ever talked to has said to avoid them....and also not wear shiny jewelry. My dive watch is silver, though. I may start keeping it in my pouch.

 

[Doctor P]

Yes, definitely. Both the first and second time I snorkeled I saw several sharks...of course, that might have part of the plan since the first two times I snorkeled were in the Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon, LOL. I did not , however, see any sharks when we snorkeled in Grand Cayman or at Castaway Cay.

 

[Talking Hands]

Seen nurse sharks when snorkeling in the Upper Keys a few times.

 

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

Once in Cozumel I saw one. We were snorkeling in 20 feet of water over some coral formations. The guide swam down and touched it to get it move. It was very well camoflaged, with speckles, and it was only about 1-2 feet long. We never would have seen it if it didn't move. The guide said it's name in Spanish, so I don't know what kind it was.

 

[Masonpips]

Not on a DCL cruise, but while off Maui on a snorkeling trip.

Fwiw, I've also caught a small blacktip shark off of the TX coast and he was *tasty* that night (but it's true, we had him for dinner)

 

[inkkognito]

Hubby has seen a barracuda several times, both at the family beach and the adult beach.
On our last cruise, a nurse shark swam right by me at the adult beach. Other swimmers told me there were two, but I only saw one myself. I've also seen stingrays and a small ink-squirting squid.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[MickeyMagic]

Does snorkelling at Typhoon Lagoon count?

 

[jwann]

We saw a nurse shark among the coral formations off Grand Cayman.

 

[jkovick]

bump

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

We've seen large starfish, octopus, lobster, a sea slug (ewww!) and a large barracuda on our last trip to Grand Cayman. But no sharks.

 

[Zandy595]

Are there nets around the family beach snorkeling area on Castaway Cay?