Snorkeling at Castaway Cay W/O snorkel?

[obsesseddisneyfan]

Hoping someone knows. Do you have to use a snorkel at Castaway Cay? My kids are good swimmers and can hold their breath for close to 2 mins. (swim team) they hate snorkel's as there goggles and fin's usually work better for them. I believe they have to wear a life jacket in that area but do they have to have the rest of the gear? If they are a good swimmer can they dive down to see or do they always have to float with the jacket?

Any insight would be helpful. I want to keep their expectations in check.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Good question. I know for certain you HAVE TO wear the vest. You can dive down to see things. Not sure what the guards will say or do if you don't have the mask and snorkel-fins are optional. That area is reserved for snorkeling-no swimming there. I have never seen anyone w/o the gear. Maybe someone on here knows. Good to try and manage their expectations. You could always wear it out there and not use-I know that wold be a pain. You may just have to ask when you get there.

 

[Girl of the South]

Wouldn’t diving disturb the fish that the snorkelers are hoping to see? I can understand requiring a vest - I assume there are lifeguards on duty?

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Were on CC snorkeling this past Saturday and saw 3 kiddos wearing fins, speedo type goggles and a vest - no snorkel. No lifeguards were blaring unintelligibly out of their bullhorns

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

We never use snorkels no problem
But do use masks

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Wouldn’t diving disturb the fish that the snorkelers are hoping to see? I can understand requiring a vest - I assume there are lifeguards on duty?

It does. And there are lifeguards on duty

 

[onesam319]

I have never had luck with the snorkel and mask. I am nearsighted and need corrective lenses. I now have prescription swim goggles that I plan to use without a snorkel next time at Castaway.

 

[AZMermaid]

Do they have training snorkels? My swimmer has debated using his instead of a traditional one.

 

[AZMermaid]

Jumping in… do they have to use the fins? Thinking this might be a a fun way for my swimmer to get some training in. He could use the fins… but would be a better workout without.

 

[dcassetta]

Hoping someone knows. Do you have to use a snorkel at Castaway Cay? My kids are good swimmers and can hold their breath for close to 2 mins. (swim team) they hate snorkel's as there goggles and fin's usually work better for them. I believe they have to wear a life jacket in that area but do they have to have the rest of the gear? If they are a good swimmer can they dive down to see or do they always have to float with the jacket?

Any insight would be helpful. I want to keep their expectations in check.

As others have said, they are not required to use a snorkel. They’re also not required to wear a life jacket. They are required to wear the bright snorkel vest, but it does not need to be inflated in any way. When I think of the word life jacket I think of the thing that goes all the way around you made out of foam and is very buoyant. The bright snorkel vests are not buoyant at all, unless you blow air into them.

Do they have training snorkels? My swimmer has debated using his instead of a traditional one.

I do not know what a training snorkel is. They do rent snorkels at CC.If your child has their own snorkel that they’re comfortable with, I would bring that.

Jumping in… do they have to use the fins? Thinking this might be a a fun way for my swimmer to get some training in. He could use the fins… but would be a better workout without.

No, you’re not required to use fins. However, the snorkeling lagoon is large, and the things that people usually like to see like the underwater. Mickey and Minnie are quite a distance from the shore. Is your child an open water swimmer, that can be a very different experience than being a pool swimmer, even a long distance pool swimmer. Depending on the time of day you choose to go, snorkeling, either the swim out for the return to shore might be against the tide which also makes fins more helpful.

 

[AZMermaid]

No, you’re not required to use fins. However, the snorkeling lagoon is large, and the things that people usually like to see like the underwater. Mickey and Minnie are quite a distance from the shore. Is your child an open water swimmer, that can be a very different experience than being a pool swimmer, even a long distance pool swimmer. Depending on the time of day you choose to go, snorkeling, either the swim out for the return to shore might be against the tide which also makes fins more helpful

Thanks! My daughter is a proficient summer swim team kid and I was glad she the fins last year. I did it with her and it was further than it seemed for sure. He doesn’t have much open water experience other than some height of Covid lake swims. But he’s a medium/high level swimmer for 13- state times, no sectionals. But good point, I’d hate for him to burn out and be “stuck.” I don't think he’d be actually stuck, but super worn out. This is a training snorkel.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

This is a training snorkel.

I've not seen these for rent; just the traditional mask mounted on the side type

 

[obsesseddisneyfan]

Wouldn’t diving disturb the fish that the snorkelers are hoping to see? I can understand requiring a vest - I assume there are lifeguards on duty?

I am not sure but I understand that snorkeling at Castaway Cay is more about seeing the underwater mickey. I know my kids would want to dive (go deeply underwater ) and see them. Reading your question I can see how the word dive would come across as more splashy then I intended.

 

[Akck]

A word of caution. If your kids were to dive and be underwater for 2 minutes, that would likely put lifeguards into action. They would assume your kids were drowning. A vlogger dived down and he was warned not to do so. He was told they could be certain if he was in trouble or not.

 

[imbelle]

When I was snorkeling at Castaway Cay I was diving underwater to get a closer look at the statues. I'm a certified scuba diver so I thought nothing of it, but a lifeguard came over told me that diving underwater was not permitted. There were no posted signs to that effect but naturally I wasn't going to argue the point when the lifeguards have no way of knowing every swimmers proficiency.