snorkel in castaway

[cyctorres#1]

I ask: a person who does not know how to swim, can he snorkel in castaway with the life jacket on? He does not know how to swim but at Xcaret he used the life jacket to cross the passive rivers and the life jacket always kept him afloat, he moved well swimming on his back but not in front.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Absolutely 100%

 

[greensombrero]

They have included life vests and lifeguards in the snorkeling area at Castaway. It also was surprisingly shallow for a was out when we were there in April. The biggest issue is you do have to swim out a ways to see anything. So they’d have to be able to kick and stroke well enough to propel themselves.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I believe designed with non-swimmers and under experienced swimmers in mind. Remember there should be some sort of a challenge for an advance swimmer in the area. So some things might be in a little deeper area than the rest, but you can still view it from the surface of the water. Definitely something to go back to as swimming skills improve.

 

[auntlynne]

Are you also expecting the lifeguard to physically assist (as happened in Xcaret)? Or will a friend be there to assist?

Perhaps someone has seen availability of personnel in the water and can chime in.

 

[cyctorres#1]

Are you also expecting the lifeguard to physically assist (as happened in Xcaret)? Or will a friend be there to assist?

Perhaps someone has seen availability of personnel in the water and can chime in.

sorry I express myself wrong with the word lifeguard; is the life jacket

 

[auntlynne]

Perfectly understandable. One word can definitely communicate something a bit differently. I like your edit.

I believe everyone has to wear a life jacket when snorkeling at Castaway Cay. They are on a stand near the water, so no one stands out as being different, either. (Of course, the purpose is safety.)

Have a great cruise. Xcaret is pretty fun, too. We visited years ago. The underground river is a bit faster moving than what you will experience at the Disney beach. There is a big breakwater retaining wall that keeps the water calm.

 

[TRTRguy]

Also keep in mind it is salt walter so anybody should be able to float on their back pretty easily to take a break. However a lot of the items to see snorkeling are pretty far out.

 

[Geomom]

I would not expect to do the full snorkeling trail. DD22 isn't a strong swimmer, and has never liked sticking her face in the water. It took a long time to get her comfortable with the snorkeling mask, and getting it tight enough to stop water getting into her mask/eyes. Since the life vests are inflatable, they can also deflate if you manage to push down the valve--which was happening to DD when she was swimming. We traded vests and she did better with mine. I had to periodically blow into the valve to reinflate her old vest, as I was also knocking into the valve occasionally. I ended up holding hands/partially pulling DD to the first 2 markers on the right to see the hidden treasures, and we decided the next ones were too far away... especially if I was going to be pulling her back to land.

The snorkel fins definitely help you swim better, and the vests keep you afloat...as long as you don't push the valve down and release air.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Only in my opinion~ the snorkel vests are different than a life vest. That have to be inflated. If for some reason you deflate them, then you basically have nothing. If you can not swim, I would not swim out to the buoys were the things to see are-that are is too deep for that. Be safe, have fun

 

[HiStitch626]

No. Someone who cannot swim at all should not be relying on a life jacket. The distance out in the snorkeling lagoon to see any of the underwater features is quite a ways. if the tide is going out as you are returning to the beach, the current will work against you and swimming back will be difficult.

 

[wendygator]

You know your swimming ability best. The last time we were at Castaway Cay (May 2022) my son and I snorkeled. I am a good swimmer, but that day the current was strong and I struggled. There were moments when I needed to tread water to clear my mask, etc and I found it challenging. Please know there can be currents and at 5’6” there were parts where I was unable to touch the bottom.

 

[IcedCoffee52]

Please don't let them do it or if they do, don't let them get too far out. We were there in March 2022, and got pretty far out. I am a strong swimmer, know how to scuba dive, was a lifeguard when I was younger, etc., and the currents pushed us out pretty far and it was a tough swim back (albeit, I had my 4-year old with me but still tough).

 

[Chrissy-Mickey]

We went snorkeling at Castaway earlier this month. We had a great time, but were out there for about an hour to see most of the treasures and fish. Like others have mentioned, you have to swim quite a bit to see anything interesting. I'm 5.8 and could not touch the bottom there where there was anything interesting to see. On the way back, there was a current making it pretty hard to get back to the beach.

 

[onesam319]

I am not a swimmer, but have snorkeled three of my 4 times at CC. The first time, I didn't get too far out. The second time at CC, I had brought my own gear and found that something was broke. We got the company to send us a part that was a better design and on my second venture into the snorkeling lagoon I was out for a long time. I saw Mickey, Minnie, and a small boat that I was able to stand on the roof with my head just above the water (I'm 5'7"). I learned to relax and just float when I got tired and to also trust my floatation vest and how to clear my snorkel without panicking. On our last trip to CC I had lots of trouble with water getting into my mask and didn't really have any success seeing anything.
The depth of the water is very deceptive. When I was above the boat it looked like I could just reach down and touch it with my hand, but was surprised that I could barely reach it with my feet. I would say that the water is at least 15 to 20 feet deep in many places of the lagoon. I never really noticed currents, but I could tell that the tide was coming in when I got back to the beach. The drawback of snorkeling for me is my bad eyesight. It was really hard for me to know where the statues were. They are marked with buoys, but I couldn't see them. I just tried to go where I saw other snorkelers gathered.

 

[Rob1872]

Does not know how to swim equals, "Do not go out snorkeling in the ocean".

Don't try to rationalize it, don't think that floating across a 'passive river' is similar to going out in currents/waves.

 

[brandtb]

Also...use the fins. It makes moving about in the water a lot more efficient and can be an effective aid if the current is working against you. It isn't a magic thing, it will still require effort from you, but not nearly as much.

 

[magsnwonderland]

Somewhat related - is there anything cool to see that is close to the beach? My oldest child is a strong swimmer and will be able to safely go out to the deeper parts of the lagoon, but the youngest doesn't have the stamina to swim out and back independently. Is there anything placed under the water that is close to the shoreline that would make snorkeling worth it, or should we just plan for her to play on the beach/in the shallow parts.

 

[Geomom]

Somewhat related - is there anything cool to see that is close to the beach? My oldest child is a strong swimmer and will be able to safely go out to the deeper parts of the lagoon, but the youngest doesn't have the stamina to swim out and back independently. Is there anything placed under the water that is close to the shoreline that would make snorkeling worth it, or should we just plan for her to play on the beach/in the shallow parts.

No, it was a good ways out to get to the first marker (and above my head.). There were little fish near the beach though--in the ankle to knee deep water.

 

[magsnwonderland]

No, it was a good ways out to get to the first marker (and above my head.). There were little fish near the beach though--in the ankle to knee deep water.

Perfect, she'll be able to see that with just her regular goggles then.