Cave Tubing - Snakes??????

[cruisinkeri]

Are there a lot of snakes when you walk around the ruins in Costa Maya? Does anyone know? How about snakes at the Caye Caulker beach?

[emmaco]

We are going Cave tubing on Oct. also.....what do you wear on the trip (Bathing suit) with shorts . ? Sandles or sneakers.... just don't know. Thanks in advance for your help and also how much time do you have for shopping after the excoursion before the last tender back:confused: to the ship . Carnival Glory

[Ellya]

We wore bathing suits and Teva type sandals. The guide did not recommend wearing any type of shirt due to the fact that once wet it will make you colder. We were on the Miracle and we only had about 20 minutes to shop when we returned from the excursion.

 

Back to the original topic, we did see a snake alongside the river on a rock outcropping. Thankfully, it was quite dead. The guide said it was a fer-de-lance, which it did certainly look like. I assume the guides killed it, but they didn't elaborate. Luckily it was close to the end of the trip or I would have been pretty nervous!

[Poolguppy]

I'm not a snake lover and my husband was a little upset that I didn't want to do the cave tubing because I was nervous about this very issue. Funny enough, I found this board after the fact. However, I would like to just pass on something that I found about the snake in the water issue:

 

"Fer-de-Lance Habits

Daily Life. The fer-de-lance is a ground-living snake, though it is able to climb and swim. Its natural habitat is forest, but it is often found on plantations and in run-down houses, as it can find a ready supply of rats and mice there. This unfortunately brings it into contact with humans. It will usually flee if disturbed, but can also defend itself vigorously, striking as soon as an enemy is within reach."

 

I just thought those of you who were nervous over this issue would like to know that this snake can swim.

 

But, as someone already said, this isn't a theme park and you should be cautious. For those of you who are adventurous, have a great time and take a picture for me! ;)

[AztecCraig]

I have to say this is by far the most entertaining thread on CC!

 

Don't care if you are in Belize or LA , if there is a wooded area and a river - there are snakes. And yes, most all can swim though some better than others.

 

Bottom line is, if you are going to be worried about snakes you probably won't be having fun cave tubing so you probably are justified in skipping the tour - nothing wrong with you for chosing that!

 

If you don't care much and know there are greater chanced of you being killed by a fallling coconut - then go and have a great time! ( Did Reggie's tour - excellent) .

 

Does anyone who lives in Fl or places with coral snakes remember the rhyme to tell poisonous vs. non ?

[jefarl]

we were on the Carnival Miracle 10/31/05 out of Tampa and we tubing in Belize. Had not heard of snakes until i checked the site today. Still would have gone!. We had a geat time! Better than tubing down the Delaware River in PA.

 

We went with Island Marketing / Belize crusie excursions at

http://belizecruiseexcursions.com/belizecavetubing.htm

They were great. We were in a group of about 20 people, our group being 4. The group aged from about 10 to 70. They had 2 guides, one leading and one trailing to make sure everyone was ok. The walk was a little hard for one of our group but they stayed with her until she caught up. Once in the water, they were extremely careful to maintain control and not "lose anyone" . At one point my brother-in-law, aged 70, non-swimmer, fell off his tube in the cave "rapids".. One of the guides jumped off immediatley (you can stand in most parts of the water) and helped him back on the tube, calming him all the time. He said he had a great time and would go back again! and this from a non-swimmer who never went into the water on the trip otherwise. Definately a fun day!. The tour company was excellent. Left on time, go us back in plenty of time and for $5 extra we had lucch after tubing in the local restuarant at the site.

 

any questions, feel free to contact me directly at JefArl@aol.com

 

JefArl

Carnival Miracle 10/31/05

and 12 others

[rferr]

After reading this thread we are snorkeling instead.

[OliverTheCat]

Hey Aztec Craig.. I am from Florida and have the answer to your rhyme: ;)

 

If red touches yellow, it can kill a fellow

If red touches black, it is a friend of Jack

When I was 4 years old, a coral snake somehow ended up underneath our couch in our living room (how the heck?!) and slithered out as I read a book on the floor. It was confirmed it was definitely a coral and was unfortunately killed. Since then, I have been TERRIFIED of snakes. :eek:

[blyle]

Well I have not posted here since this thread began. Actually we all know there are snakes. The point is unless you have good health insurance or good cruise insurance the delay of getting treatment is a problem. THe man who was flown to San Antonio did have the insurance and did survive. Basically it is important to realize that on trips outside of the US it is very important to have some type of GOOD medical insurance that includes medical evacuation. You don't realize that until you have to use it because you always think it will happen to someone else. We have had to use our insurance and now we would never travel without spending the small amount that guarantees we will be taken care of properly in a medical emergency.

[chris2597]

I am sure that Cave Tubing is a wonderful excursion but nothing would get me in that water. I wonder if anyone that was a bit leery about the tubing got freaked in the caves.

[Vmalcolm]

We have a very popular spring here where thousands of people tube every week (Itchatucknee Springs), but that didn't keep a friend of mine from being attacked and bitten by a rabid otter! I've also seen snakes and an occasional alligator. Still go tubing here! After reading this thread I asked my boss (who is a naturalist and has traveled quite a bit to Mexico and Central America) about the snake, and he says they don't live in water, but they will travel across the water, and, unfortunately, they do like caves.

 

I think we're doing it anyway. I'm just not going to get near the walls!

 

Valerie

[MCZARY]

We just got back, No snakes seen.

I have tubed in the Shenandoah River and its about the same clarity.

 

The water is moving, not stagnant.

 

Our Cave-tubing.com guides were walking in the water barefoot

 

Saw some monkeys in the tree but no snakes.

[madisonswims]

Dear Friends here are some tips

 

Went Cave tubing with Princess - We went with the ship due to the fact that we were on a limited time frame. There were 500 people on the tour - 5 bus loads - never saw a snake.

 

Positives -

Cool experience to walk thru an actual rain forest - it was pouring rain -

The caves were neat to see, l (water was cool) - water was crystal clear.

 

Negatives

 

Our head lamps were not "bright enough" to actually see the formations in the caves.

 

The changing room "lockers" are little thatched huts with no security - if you don't want to lose it - don't bring it -

 

The bathrooms are not adequate to accomodate the amount of people on the tours - they stopped working when we were there.

 

The life vests you have to wear stink of mold and mildew :( - you will stink like those vests the whole time, and will be anxious to wash your clothes when you get back to the ship.

 

Most people on the tour were chilled to the bone before we ever got into the rivers - because it was raining cats and dogs and they weren't dressed properly.

 

Water was on the very cool side - good thing we wore "dive skins" to retain body temperature - hubby and I were the only ones "warm".

 

Could not hear the tour guide - there were so many people screaming - could not learn a thing.

 

The bus ride - The bus driver drove off the road at 70 mph to pass a house being moved on the road - yup - I said it - a house - We thought the bus was gonna tip over - we were terrified.

 

Would I do it again - no way - not worth 99.00 - glad I did it - yes - I can say I did it once.

 

I was contemplating getting dive skins for my hubby and I. I have one for our 8 year old daughter. What time of year did you go? We are heading there in December.

 

Thanks!

[Sensashnl]

I have to say this is by far the most entertaining thread on CC!

 

Don't care if you are in Belize or LA , if there is a wooded area and a river - there are snakes. And yes, most all can swim though some better than others.

 

Bottom line is, if you are going to be worried about snakes you probably won't be having fun cave tubing so you probably are justified in skipping the tour - nothing wrong with you for chosing that!

 

If you don't care much and know there are greater chanced of you being killed by a fallling coconut - then go and have a great time! ( Did Reggie's tour - excellent) .

 

Does anyone who lives in Fl or places with coral snakes remember the rhyme to tell poisonous vs. non ?

 

I live in FL and here's the rhyme I think you refer to...

 

Red and yellow kills

a fellow,

red and black, friend

of Jack

 

Good to know on these types of excursions...

[Safetyal]

Remember also the caves are full of people and activity. A snake isn't going to hang around with all of that going on. They don't want to run into you as much as you don't want to run into them.

[Buckeyebrd]

We are thinking about doing the cave tubing excursion in November and was wondering if anyone has any pics to share. This excursion is not my first choice, but my three boys and hubbie want to go. I don't like the fact that 2 1/2 hours of the 4 is getting there and back. Is that true? Post a link to your pics if you took any. Thanks!

[Buckeyebrd]

We are thinking about doing the cave tubing excursion in November and was wondering if anyone has any pics to share. This excursion is not my first choice, but my three boys and hubbie want to go. I don't like the fact that 2 1/2 hours of the 4 is getting there and back. Is that true?

[blyle]

The Rhyme is Red on Yellow kill a fellow, Red on Black Venom lack. Now of course you don't have much time to think about it!!!

 

THis thread is about 2 years old and its interesting that it has activity again. Just recently there was a major problem on one of the cave tubing excursions due to high rushing water and someone actually lost their life as I remember. Search for it on here and its and interesting read about it.

[travelntreats]

We are thinking about doing the cave tubing excursion in November and was wondering if anyone has any pics to share. This excursion is not my first choice, but my three boys and hubbie want to go. I don't like the fact that 2 1/2 hours of the 4 is getting there and back. Is that true?

Don't know what tour guide you are considering, but our tour was about 5 hours - 1 hour there and I hour back, and three spent on the trail, in the caves, in the river outdoors, and a relaxed time returning, even picking up lunch - and no snakes.

[Gingee]

Gad I didn't think of snakes. My husband doesn't want to do anything that he has to get wet and our "papers" could not be in a safe place. I wanted to originally do this one but I think I am changing my mind.

[Suni99]

Wellllllllllll, hmmm, I was thinking about surprising my Dh with this excursion, Butttt, not now!!! no freaking way, I never even though about snakes until I read this and I wish I hadnt come across this post, anyhow,One person saw a 8 foot snake that was slithering a foot away from them?? ...........umm,, No can do, but have fun everyone.