SHARKS On Snorkeling Excursions?

[MarkLem]

Any mention of shark encounters on any snorkeling trips? I would think especially at the Stingray City feeding station, 2 miles out, that sharks would roll on in as well.

 

[sdptalk]

bumping this post because I have wondered the same thing.

Sandy

 

[hughiedeweylouie]

Me too. BUMP

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

We did the String City excursion on one of our cruises, way back, and there was not mention (and no sight of) sharks or the possiblity of. The feeding area is quite shallow, which allows you to stand in the water with the sting rays. And with the amount of boats in and out of the area, I wouldn't see it as a problem. The stringrays are pretty much on a tourist buffet, as one group is getting done (running out of food to feed them) another group is approaching and off they swim.

 

[justmestace]

We've gone snorkeling all over the Caribbean & Bahamas (in fact, we leave tomorrow for Bonaire, another Dutch island by Aruba) and have seen sharks swimming past. They basically ignore us. Usually they have enough food of their own type that they don't bother with us humans. I was going to say that you could ask your excursion guides, but they love to tease, and would probably tell you there are lots of hungry sharks. The only times you hear of people being attacked is along the eastern coast, the sharks are out of their realm, and hungry.
Don't worry about it, Disney wouldn't let anything happen to their passengers...if they thought there was a danger, they wouldn't let you go. Have fun, and enjoy!!

 

[AnnMorin]

BUT your chances of actually encountering one are fairly small, and even if you do in all likelyhood they will egnore you. The places where you snorkle are full of fish so the sharks are well fed. They would not bother attacking a human.. a full shark is a nice shark
I have not seen one on snorkling trips in St. John, St. Maarten, Cozumel, or Grand Cayman. Never seen on in castaway cay. Infact we have snorkled over 100 times and the ONLY time we encountered a shark was in pennencamp national park (sp) off of key largo. DH saw large one and he left it alone and the shark didn't bother Jay.
If you have been in the ocean you probably have been around sharks and just don't know it. Even in New England we have sharks, but for the most part sharks stear clear of humans so I really would not worry.
One bit of advice I will give you is remove all your jewelry before snorkling. Sharks and barricudas are attracted by the glimmer of gold and diamonds as it looks to them like tasty fish.

 

[hughiedeweylouie]

My children will be so excited and fearless.
Unfortunately, I am a child of the 70's......................
Why did my mother let me go see that movie?

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

@ hughiedeweylouie

 

[Magic_Fan_Bruce]

Worldwide, every year more people are killed by wild pigs than by sharks?

 

[DisneyHumbug]

Oh, no - are there wild pigs on Castaway Cay????

 

[AnnMorin]

For real! They had a pig farm and he fell into the stall.... come to think of it there has never been a divorce in my family..hmmmm

 

[grlzmom]

We were on Capt. Marvins tour on September 13th Magic and did get to see a shark while snorkeling out at Stingray City.

Not a very big one, but a shark nonetheless.

 

[MarkLem]

Tell me more...

 

[hughiedeweylouie]

I AM A BIG BRAVE DOG. I AM A BIG BRAVE DOG. I AM A BIG BRAVE DOG.

 

[trishy]

We saw sand sharks around stingray city - not many, just a couple - we've seen sand sharks (and got great video, too) while snorkeling at St. Johns. And during the shipwreck reef snorkel excursion, we saw reef sharks. Like the other post'r said, they leave you alone - they're more interested in their own exploration than nibbling on you. My dd's got a huge kick out of it - especially the sand sharks - they're really cute and pretty friendly - come right up to you like the rays, 'cept they don't have the stingers, just the teeth. Of course, you want to be sure you don't have any cuts - you know, the blood and all... Ha, just kiddin'.

 

[KimDisFan]

This past summer, seen a nurse shark while snorkling in Cozumel. My DH and I seen it first, then the guides called out that there was a shark to come see, we were swimming away while everyone swimming towards the shark

 

[tkd lisa]

On our May 2002 cruise, we went on the Capt Marvins 3 stop snorkling excrusion. First stop is Coral Garden (or something like that). At that stop, a couple of teens on the boat yelled "shark". DS (who was 8 then) jumped right back in the boat and refused to get back in!

Second stop was out by the drop off. The guides were warning about the fire coral and not to touch it. DS refused to get in, DD was freaked by the fire coral. DH went by himself. When he got back on, I got a sign language story of a shark "this big" (picture hands about 4 1/2 feet apart)! Never saw any at stingray city.

DH said later (when DS wasn't around to get freaked out), that it was a sand shark, the guide pointed it out but it didn't bother anyone.

 

[jjgarv]

I would be more worried about fire coral, morays, and sea urchins while snorkling than sharks. Fire coral does it's name justice, it is bright red so easy to stay clear of. Morays are in places you would look for lobsters, ie holes and under ridges, they look worse than they are, just dont hassle them. Sea urchins look plain painful, and they are. Bottom line dont touch anything and enjoy the scenery.

 

[hydster]

Geez I guess hubby and I need to travel with some of you who have seen sharks. We have over 150 scuba dives and have yet to see a shark in ANY of them! We even booked an excursion in Costa Rica specifically designed to dive with sharks and nothing, nada. We have dove right near Stingray City twice in Grand Cayman and still have yet to see a shark or anything even close to that interesting! Darn I wish I had gone with you all.....will one of you come with us on the E. cruise in May just so we have some kind of chance of seeing one??? LOL

Heidi

 

[MarkLem]

On the Capt Marvin half day, do you use fins? I though I saw a post somewhere that said at Stingray City you don't use fins.