I just got back from my first trip on a Disney Cruise (amazing experience--best cruise ship around!)
I had been extremely excited to visit the old 20,000 Leagues Nautilus submarine sunk in the snorkling area. But sadly, once I was there, I was a bit disappointed.
I guess the biggest let-down was that the recognizable features of the sub have been dismantled. Although maps of Castaway Cay show the familiar Harper Goff "sea monster" sticking out of the lagoon, the actual sub has been ripped apart. The entire top portion of the sub is missing, such as the giant green "eye" and the "spiked" arch that connected the pilot's sail to the bow of the sub. (The broken arch can be found a few feet from the sub, lying on the sand)
Many of the glass portholes guests would look out of are still intact (you couldn't really see inside them). However, a few portholes were broken, and Disney had put bars over them to prevent people from entering.
The only recognizable feature of the sub is the tail fin, which still bears Roman numeral 8.
When I first snorkled to the sub early in the morning, the entire vehicle was underwater--- about 2 feet of water separating the tail fin from the surface. Almost the entire top portion of the sub was covered in rope nets, adding to its unfamiliarity. Also, the entire sub was circled by a floating "swim rope", which prevented visitors from actually getting within 3 feet of the sub-- presumably for safety reasons.
Late in the day, I glanced back out at the snorkling area and was astonished to see something--- the entire top half of the sub was sticking out above the surface of the water!!!!!! During low tide, the sub becomes visible from land!!! It's such a shame the recognizable features of the sub have been removed. How cool would it be to see the Nautilus slowing "rise up" out of the water throughout the afternoon!!!!!!!!
Of course-- now knowing that the sub breaks the surface of the water each day--- I wonder if bad weather or rough seas broke apart the recognizable features of the sub--- rather than a safety-conscious Disney (which was my first thought).
Does anyone know more about the history of the 20K sub at Castaway Cay? Was it originally in reconizable condition? Did bad weather ruin it, or did Disney???
I had been extremely excited to visit the old 20,000 Leagues Nautilus submarine sunk in the snorkling area. But sadly, once I was there, I was a bit disappointed.
I guess the biggest let-down was that the recognizable features of the sub have been dismantled. Although maps of Castaway Cay show the familiar Harper Goff "sea monster" sticking out of the lagoon, the actual sub has been ripped apart. The entire top portion of the sub is missing, such as the giant green "eye" and the "spiked" arch that connected the pilot's sail to the bow of the sub. (The broken arch can be found a few feet from the sub, lying on the sand)
Many of the glass portholes guests would look out of are still intact (you couldn't really see inside them). However, a few portholes were broken, and Disney had put bars over them to prevent people from entering.
The only recognizable feature of the sub is the tail fin, which still bears Roman numeral 8.
When I first snorkled to the sub early in the morning, the entire vehicle was underwater--- about 2 feet of water separating the tail fin from the surface. Almost the entire top portion of the sub was covered in rope nets, adding to its unfamiliarity. Also, the entire sub was circled by a floating "swim rope", which prevented visitors from actually getting within 3 feet of the sub-- presumably for safety reasons.
Late in the day, I glanced back out at the snorkling area and was astonished to see something--- the entire top half of the sub was sticking out above the surface of the water!!!!!! During low tide, the sub becomes visible from land!!! It's such a shame the recognizable features of the sub have been removed. How cool would it be to see the Nautilus slowing "rise up" out of the water throughout the afternoon!!!!!!!!
Of course-- now knowing that the sub breaks the surface of the water each day--- I wonder if bad weather or rough seas broke apart the recognizable features of the sub--- rather than a safety-conscious Disney (which was my first thought).
Does anyone know more about the history of the 20K sub at Castaway Cay? Was it originally in reconizable condition? Did bad weather ruin it, or did Disney???
