Sharks at Castaway Cay?

[Mikem861]

Just a little personal experience. I was snorkeling at SB watching a crab crawling along the bottom. I stopped for a second and looked up. There about 3 feet away from me was Barry the Barracuda with his mouth full of razor sharp teeth! My heart kind of skipped a beat, but Barry just casually swam away. I moved to a little bit more shallow water ( I was out about head high) and continued to enjoy my day..keeping a sharper eye out for Barry! If you don't bother him..he won't bother you!

 

[shmoogrrrl]

I'm actually fascinated by sharks and love watching documentaries about sharks. I love to learn about them. But the funny thing is that when I was young I heard that if you have a phobia you should learn about it since the facts are never as scary as the fear. But the more I learn about sharks the more fear I have gained. In this instance the facts were scarier than the original fear I watch shark week every year and just get more scared

You sound EXACTLY like me. I have an unreasonable terror of sharks, but we treat Shark Week like a National Holiday in my house. We have a Shark Week party on the first night, and we make Shark related foods (No, not anything with actual Shark, but Shark cupcakes, etc....I got my whole family Shark Week shirts last year! My almost 10 year old daughter actually briefly considered not going to Girl Scout Camp because the only one she could attend was during Shark Week (but after encouragement from us, and a promise to DVR any new shows, she made the right decision to go to camp.)

Anyway, I LOVE the ocean, but I am terrified of getting attacked by a shark. sometimes get nervous in pools! That said, I make every effort to get in the water with the rest of my family when we go to the beach. I also don't ever stop my kids from enjoying the ocean because of my unreasonable fear. I've been snorkeling while on DCL a couple of times, and I actually feel pretty safe at Castaway Cay, although I do get nervous when I see a school of tiny fish go swimming quickly by!

My daughter LOVES dolphins, and will be old enough to do a dolphin excursion on our cruise next year. As my husband doesn't swim, I will have to take her. It is over a year away, and I am already working up the courage not to freak out when the dolphins swim past me and push me around.

I just wanted to hi-five fellow paranoid, and say I totally understand where you are coming from, but I really DO feel safe at CC!

 

[JohnPA]

Just a little personal experience. I was snorkeling at SB watching a crab crawling along the bottom. I stopped for a second and looked up. There about 3 feet away from me was Barry the Barracuda with his mouth full of razor sharp teeth! My heart kind of skipped a beat, but Barry just casually swam away. I moved to a little bit more shallow water ( I was out about head high) and continued to enjoy my day..keeping a sharper eye out for Barry! If you don't bother him..he won't bother you!

Barry the Barracuda from June, 2011. Saw him LOTS and he just doesn't seem to care. I had on nice shiny diving watch, but he didn't notice.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Oh yeah.....One year when my daughter was five, she got a little scared on our beach trip about going in the water. I found a book that said that that you were more likely to be killed by a falling coconut than bit by a shark. I kid you not, my daughter isn't afraid of sharks anymore, but she is terrified of anything that looks like a palm tree because she thinks it could be a coconut tree.

Also, remember that we kill WAY more sharks every year than sharks kill us. Also, I heard on one of the Shark Week shows that Sharks kill more people on land than in the ocean, because people kill them and eat them in parts of the world, and the mercury in their bodies doesn't sit well with us.

 

[trimix]

I loved your story, Captain BJ. I sure wish my kids shared my interest in the underwater world. When I have had my fill of technical diving I plan to try underwater photography.

I remember I was once on a snorkeling trip, and while back on the boat to get some water somebody started screaming about a shark, and yelling at the snorkelers to get out of the water. As soon as I could find clear water near the boat I jumped in with a disposable waterproof camera and started swimming for the shadow Screamy had been pointing at. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of a shark, but I did pull a big piece of plastic out of the ocean that day.

 

[Dizzyworld]

Here we are last month diving "DiveQuest"

Nice to hear they still have the scuba tour "Dive Quest" at EPCOT. We had heard they didn't have it anymore. My DH and DS enjoyed doing this dive.

 

[jcemom]

Oh yeah.....One year when my daughter was five, she got a little scared on our beach trip about going in the water. I found a book that said that that you were more likely to be killed by a falling coconut than bit by a shark. I kid you not, my daughter isn't afraid of sharks anymore, but she is terrified of anything that looks like a palm tree because she thinks it could be a coconut tree.

 

[Tabologist]

Watching Shark Week had me wondering the same thing. My childhood fear and refusal to set foot into the ocean is flooding back... I don't think I'll push it and watch Jaws again before our cruise. LOL

 

[SharonLowe]

You are more likely to die from being hit on the head from a falling coconut than you are from being attacked by a shark.

50 percent of sharks are smaller than 3 feet when fully grown; 80 percent are smaller than 6 feet when fully grown.

There are about 500 species of sharks; only a handful are known to be "dangerous" to humans.

Most shark encounters are accidental - either they inadvertently brush into you or they mistake you for their favorite meal (seals, in the case of most large sharks)

Most sharks are actually shy and stay away from any human contact.

Shark Week, Jaws, and other shark shows sensationalize sharks - they are designed to scare you. You are not likely to encounter anything like what they show.

 

[TinkerTY]

While on CC in May, one if the CM told me that he's been working there for several years (contracts) and during down time, they explore the island and reef. He said he's very passionate about scuba diving and snorkeling and said during all of the trips, he has only seen 1 sand shark out in Serenity Bay. he said it was about 4 FT long.

 

[Tabologist]

Shark Week, Jaws, and other shark shows sensationalize sharks - they are designed to scare you. You are not likely to encounter anything like what they show.

I found most shows during Shark Week to be extremely educational and in favor of protecting and preserving sharks.

Anyone worried should watch "How JAWS changed the World"

 

[solfan68]

Here to report that I was about waist deep at the family beach during our August 5 Dream sailing. I saw a three foot long fish swim within about three feet of me. Pointed him out to my son and brother in law. Barry looped around and cruised out for deeper water. BiL, a science teacher, went to ask a CM if it could have been a barracuda. CM really had no idea. It was a bit surreal, and probably best I didn't know right at that moment who I was sharing the water with.

 

[lbroberts]

I've snorkel several times in Florida, Mexico, & Bahamas....saw Barracudas, huge Grouper, & nurse sharks! They are as afraid of you as you are of them! Stay calm & observe their beauty!

 

[CarolAnnC]

I don't think a rope or a net is going to keep out sharks, if they really want to get past them.

That being said, I spent much time over the years down on Cape Cod and there are no "nets" to keep out sea life in the ocean. But we never had a fear, other than watching to not step on the horseshoe crabs.

Have a Konk Kooler and you will not be so worried about sharks, LOL!

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

Here to report that I was about waist deep at the family beach during our August 5 Dream sailing. I saw a three foot long fish swim within about three feet of me. Pointed him out to my son and brother in law. Barry looped around and cruised out for deeper water. BiL, a science teacher, went to ask a CM if it could have been a barracuda. CM really had no idea. It was a bit surreal, and probably best I didn't know right at that moment who I was sharing the water with.

It was likely a barracuda. There have been multiple reports of them at CC, although most are at Serenity Bay if I recall correctly.