Get to know Castaway Cay like a native! A knowledgeable guide will take you on a fascinating eco adventure via a personal watercraft as you learn about the areas abundant marine life, unique ecology and storied history.
Sounds good! Ive been on the Water Mice/Sprites at Disney World, no problem. Theres a guide, Mickey gives it a thumbs up, we should do this.
There we were on May 15th. Me, the one who had the bright idea to do this tour, my husband and our daughter and were ready to go. The sun is shining, its a perfect day at Castaway Cay and its time for our Eco Tour.
First, we get our life jackets and then we get instructions. What does the fist in the air mean again? Slashing motion across the neck means stop? Are you sure that were not in the middle of a Charlie Brown cartoon where hes giving stage directions?
I think I remember all of the instructions, and now its time to get on our personal watercraft. We get in the water and are told that you climb on from the back. Okay, the stupid thing is in waist deep water and they expect a chubby, middle aged lady to hop on. I decide to use the very professional lift the knee and crawl on method, hoping that no one with a camera is behind me.
I did it, Im on. Put the safety strap around my wrist, check. Dont get within 50 feet of the watercraft in front of me, check. Dont start until Im told, check. Just press this little button, put one finger on the throttle and OMIGOD, WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO!! Im going to get whiplash, Im going to fall off, I hate this and everyone ahead of me is becoming a tiny speck on the horizon.
Yikes, theyre going around the front of the ship. Yikes, there are people behind me, I must catch up. Yikes, there goes my visor. Fat chance Im going to stop to get it. Yikes, I dont like this; I dont like this at all.
When we reached an open area, the people behind me passed me by. Being that it was a Disney excursion, no one made any gestures in my direction; at least I dont think that they did. I was too busy praying to all of the saints and my ancestors to look around.
Luckily, theres a guide at both the front and the rear. Byron, the guide in the back and now my new best friend, takes me under his wing and encourages me to catch up with the rest of the group. I make it to the other side of the Magic and in front of Castaway Cay. Everyone has stopped and the guide tells us something about the trees. I wish I could remember what he said, but I was too busy looking for an amphibious taxi to drive up and get me out of this. The odds werent good.
Oh yippee, were going to explore some more. Push the button, 50 feet, finger on throttle; they cant possibly hear what Im saying over the sound of the engines. I hope no one can read lips. I really hate this.
Next, we stop at a sand bar about a mile and a half out. Up until now, I thought that I was going to fall off and sink 100 fathoms down. (I dont know what a fathom is, but it sounds nautical and deep.) Considering that I have a life jacket on, this is unlikely, but panic does this to me.
We get off the personal watercraft and walk on the sandbar. The guide asks us what we think the sand is made of and tells us to scoop up a handful and sniff it. You know this is the part that he enjoys, its fish poop. Great, I have a handful of poop, Im a mile and a half out, and I have to get on the dreaded jet ski again. Theres one bright spot, the water in that area is only 4 to 12 feet deep. If I go flying off, maybe I can walk back.
Climb back on from the rear, threaten husband with death if he takes a picture, 50 feet, finger on throttle, hey, where are they going now? Swell, theyre going all around the cove next to the ship. Byron, my best buddy, knows that if I follow the others Ill be spending the night at his house since it will take me 8 hours to do this. We take the short cut and head back around the ship to the shore.
I did it! I pry my hands off of the controls, hop off (from the rear) and practically walk on the water for the 8 feet between me and the beach. I would have kissed the ground but I know better. Cant fool me, its fish poop.
Truthfully, most everyone loved it. Some, like me, were surprised at how fast we went, but I was the only one who made a vow to eat my vegetables and always brush and floss if I got back to shore in one piece.
If you go on this tour, be prepared for speed. These are jet skis. You cant go rocketing off on your own, but you will definitely move, and learn something about trees and fish poop.
Sounds good! Ive been on the Water Mice/Sprites at Disney World, no problem. Theres a guide, Mickey gives it a thumbs up, we should do this.
There we were on May 15th. Me, the one who had the bright idea to do this tour, my husband and our daughter and were ready to go. The sun is shining, its a perfect day at Castaway Cay and its time for our Eco Tour.
First, we get our life jackets and then we get instructions. What does the fist in the air mean again? Slashing motion across the neck means stop? Are you sure that were not in the middle of a Charlie Brown cartoon where hes giving stage directions?
I think I remember all of the instructions, and now its time to get on our personal watercraft. We get in the water and are told that you climb on from the back. Okay, the stupid thing is in waist deep water and they expect a chubby, middle aged lady to hop on. I decide to use the very professional lift the knee and crawl on method, hoping that no one with a camera is behind me.
I did it, Im on. Put the safety strap around my wrist, check. Dont get within 50 feet of the watercraft in front of me, check. Dont start until Im told, check. Just press this little button, put one finger on the throttle and OMIGOD, WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO!! Im going to get whiplash, Im going to fall off, I hate this and everyone ahead of me is becoming a tiny speck on the horizon.
Yikes, theyre going around the front of the ship. Yikes, there are people behind me, I must catch up. Yikes, there goes my visor. Fat chance Im going to stop to get it. Yikes, I dont like this; I dont like this at all.
When we reached an open area, the people behind me passed me by. Being that it was a Disney excursion, no one made any gestures in my direction; at least I dont think that they did. I was too busy praying to all of the saints and my ancestors to look around.
Luckily, theres a guide at both the front and the rear. Byron, the guide in the back and now my new best friend, takes me under his wing and encourages me to catch up with the rest of the group. I make it to the other side of the Magic and in front of Castaway Cay. Everyone has stopped and the guide tells us something about the trees. I wish I could remember what he said, but I was too busy looking for an amphibious taxi to drive up and get me out of this. The odds werent good.
Oh yippee, were going to explore some more. Push the button, 50 feet, finger on throttle; they cant possibly hear what Im saying over the sound of the engines. I hope no one can read lips. I really hate this.
Next, we stop at a sand bar about a mile and a half out. Up until now, I thought that I was going to fall off and sink 100 fathoms down. (I dont know what a fathom is, but it sounds nautical and deep.) Considering that I have a life jacket on, this is unlikely, but panic does this to me.
We get off the personal watercraft and walk on the sandbar. The guide asks us what we think the sand is made of and tells us to scoop up a handful and sniff it. You know this is the part that he enjoys, its fish poop. Great, I have a handful of poop, Im a mile and a half out, and I have to get on the dreaded jet ski again. Theres one bright spot, the water in that area is only 4 to 12 feet deep. If I go flying off, maybe I can walk back.
Climb back on from the rear, threaten husband with death if he takes a picture, 50 feet, finger on throttle, hey, where are they going now? Swell, theyre going all around the cove next to the ship. Byron, my best buddy, knows that if I follow the others Ill be spending the night at his house since it will take me 8 hours to do this. We take the short cut and head back around the ship to the shore.
I did it! I pry my hands off of the controls, hop off (from the rear) and practically walk on the water for the 8 feet between me and the beach. I would have kissed the ground but I know better. Cant fool me, its fish poop.
Truthfully, most everyone loved it. Some, like me, were surprised at how fast we went, but I was the only one who made a vow to eat my vegetables and always brush and floss if I got back to shore in one piece.
If you go on this tour, be prepared for speed. These are jet skis. You cant go rocketing off on your own, but you will definitely move, and learn something about trees and fish poop.
I might not post a lot but I read alot you have put tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard my kids think I am really going 
now great report tell us more about your trip 
