Any word on how Castaway Cay is doing?

[MouseinMelbourne]

Any word this morning? @budbuss have you heard from your daughter? I woke up think about her and all the CM’s on the island.

 

[CamColt]

Hey gang! As previously noted the last thread on this topic was locked as it got out of hand. Budbuss asked me about starting a new one when there was information to share and I agreed that would be productive...if we can keep it civil. With 2 new threads started on the subject (I have merged them) I see you have taken it into your own hands. In the future threads that are locked should not be restarted as they were closed for a reason.

I'm letting this one go as I know many of us are concerned about the island the island and more so the workers. Please keep it nice and be sensitive. On the flip side, if something bothers you, just don't read it, there is no need to argue. Thanks for your cooperation!

 

[MouseinMelbourne]

Hey gang! As previously noted the last thread on this topic was locked as it got out of hand. Budbuss asked me about starting a new one when there was information to share and I agreed that would be productive...if we can keep it civil. With 2 new threads started on the subject (I have merged them) I see you have taken it into your own hands. In the future threads that are locked should not be restarted as they were closed for a reason.

I'm letting this one go as I know many of us are concerned about the island the island and more so the workers. Please keep it nice and be sensitive. On the flip side, if something bothers you, just don't read it, there is no need to argue. Thanks for your cooperation!

I’m sorry. I didn’t see one already started. I completely understand why you shut the first one down though. I’m hoping everyone can just express concern and not opinions right now. Like you said, let’s keep it nice and be sensitive.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

The weather channel just now said the Bahama's will get hit again today by the hurricane. Hoping for the best for Castaway today.

 

[carolina_yankee]

Not only does the island have to be cleaned up. There could be damage to the dock that needs repaired and in order to do that supplies will need to be brought in. And the dock area will more than likely have to be dredged deep enough again to allow the ship to get close to the dock after the heavy tides push the ocean floor (AKA sand and debri) close to the dock area. The island took a direct hit with 185 mph winds.

I’m not sure they were hit with 185 mph winds. Those winds are found right near the eye. While the storm itself is huge and strong, the further out from the eye the lower the wind speed. On this, Disney is right. That part of the storm passed well north of CC.

Storm surge is another matter, but the Abacos shield CC somewhat in that regard.

I share everyone’s concerns for Disney’s CMs, but we also have to remember that Disney knows what they are doing, they have experts on hand giving them advice, they know exactly what the island can withstand, and they also know that if there were a disaster, it would be a huge PR hit (and lawsuit) from which it would take Disney years to recover. I honestly can’t imagjne they would roll the dice like that.

Absent information to the contrary, I’m assuming the CMs are safe.

Dirk

 

[Starwind]

The weather channel just now said the Bahama's will get hit again today by the hurricane. Hoping for the best for Castaway today.

Per https://www.wfla.com/weather/tracki...t-5-dorian-approaching-florida-at-just-1-mph/

QUOTE
Category 5 Hurricane Dorian is crawling towards Florida at just 1 mph, continuing to deliver catastrophic damage to the Bahamas.

The 5 a.m. Monday advisory from the National Hurricane Center said the Grand Bahama Island will be battered by Dorian’s catastrophic winds and storm surge all day and night.

As of the 5 a.m. advisory, Dorian is approaching Florida’s east coast at just 1 mph with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph.

Life-threatening storm surges and dangerous hurricane-force winds are expected along Florida’s east coast through mid-week, the NHC says.

Hurricane Dorian officially made landfall at 12:45 p.m. ET Sunday on Elbow Cay in the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm. It was one of the most intense hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. The eye of the storm made a second landfall at 2 p.m. on Great Abaco Island near Marsh Harbour with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph.

Since then, Hurricane Dorian has been moving at a crawl, continuing to deliver devastating blows on the Bahamas.
END QUOTE

 

[Starwind]

I Google searched "Castaway Cay" in news articles. This is the most recent, about 4 hours old as of this writing:

https://www.foxnews.com/world/disney-says-staff-is-safe-on-bahamas-castaway-cay-report

 

[Lorraine]

I wonder how the cats are...

 

[Dug720]

I wonder how the cats are...

Last time the cat/cats went into the shelter with them.

 

[Lorraine]

Last time the cat/cats went into the shelter with them.

Let’s hope so - assuming they can round them up ( never know how many are there these days?)

 

[mmouse37]

Even if CC was spared devastation, it will take weeks for the it to be the beautiful place it was. Salt water kills the vegetation and turns it all brown. We have been to CC weeks after a hurricane and it definitely was noticeable. I remember after another hurricane years ago CC was shut down for several weeks. We were the first cruise allowed back and people were still finding sun loungers at the bottom of the lagoon. It will take a long while for all the vegetation to grow and get their "green" back.

MJ

 

[Alexander]

We sailed B2B on the Dream during and after hurricane Irma in 2011. We did not get to CC on the first leg because of the damage to the island. The docking area had to be dredged out so the ship could get in. We did get there for the second leg and the damage to the island was heartbreaking. Irma was a Cat 2, this one is a 5. I cannot imagine the damage the island may have taken this time. The sea water is devastating to the plant life and literally just washes over the little cay.

 

[xuxa777]

And Irma was much farther away skirting the coast of Cuba, good part is the worst is over for CC.

 

[Lewisc]

.... On this, Disney is right. That part of the storm passed well north of CC..........

I share everyone’s concerns for Disney’s CMs, but we also have to remember that Disney knows what they are doing, they have experts on hand giving them advice, they know exactly what the island can withstand, and they also know that if there were a disaster, it would be a huge PR hit (and lawsuit) from which it would take Disney years to recover. I honestly can’t imagjne they would roll the dice like that.

Absent information to the contrary, I’m assuming the CMs are safe.

Dirk

Disney said their storm shelter could withstand a Cat4 storm. Disney said weather forecasts suggested the storm was going north and Castaway Cay would he spared the full impact.

A cat 5 storm hit Elbow Cay, less then 50 miles from CC.
Weather forecasts aren't that exact. Disney rolled the dice and won.
Employees on the island can immediately assess damage. At least clear enough debris so small boats can at least beach

 

[BruinEd03]

Weather channel just reported that all cast members at Castaway Cay are Ok.

 

[insureman]

Disney said their storm shelter could withstand a Cat4 storm. Disney said weather forecasts suggested the storm was going north and Castaway Cay would he spared the full impact.

A cat 5 storm hit the Bahamas less then 50 miles from CC.
Weather forecasts aren't that exact. Disney rolled the dice and won.
Employees on the island can immediately assess damage. At least clear enough debris so some boats can at least beach

Agree that Disney rolled the dice. I am a big DCL fan with 21 cruises however one person had the the final say on this poor decision and should be reprimanded.

 

[MouseinMelbourne]

Guys, the reason the last thread was shut down was because of blame and speculation over Disney, their decision, and how that affected the CM safety. Let’s keep it to specific updates on the status of the island, please.

 

[budbuss]

To all that's been waiting,
First - thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
Our daughter called yesterday afternoon and was going to the evaluation shelter.
Just heard the news from the weather channel about everyone being safe.
Will update here when I hear from her, hopefully very soon.
Thanks again

 

[xuxa777]

Weather channel just reported that all cast members at Castaway Cay are Ok.

While that is correct I am sure, they are just reporting what DCL tweeted last night that everyone was safe.

 

[CamColt]

Thanks for the update, budbuss! Still praying for you and your family.

We sailed B2B on the Dream during and after hurricane Irma in 2011. We did not get to CC on the first leg because of the damage to the island. The docking area had to be dredged out so the ship could get in. We did get there for the second leg and the damage to the island was heartbreaking. Irma was a Cat 2, this one is a 5. I cannot imagine the damage the island may have taken this time. The sea water is devastating to the plant life and literally just washes over the little cay.

Are you referring to Irene in 2011? We did back to backs right after that. The 4 night was the first cruise to go back to the island, and we were a day late due to the clean up (switched the sea day and CC day). I have to disagree with how the island looked as we thought it looked pretty good after that. We were very surprised knowing it pretty much took a direct hit.