Swimming with the Big Fish

Well, we did not lose our electricity today. It seams that the power company truck broke down and they have had to reschedule.


Davis and I did go snorkeling. Three times we have been snorkeling and have seen very large Barracuda. This occurred on three different sites. Today, a very, very large Barracuda met Davis and I on the reef off of our beach. This time, the fish came up very close. Within reach close. I swear as I am writing, the fish was as big as Davis, between four and five feet long.

According to the Humann, Deloach, Reef Fish Identification book, barracuda "have the unnerving habit of approaching divers and following them about. This appears to be nothing more than curiosity, as there are no reports of unprovoked attacks." This is true, it also states, except for cases where people are hand feeding fish.

There is a story going around the island of a local diver being bitten as she was feeding stingrays at Gibbs Cay, The Barracuda bit her across the hand. She required several stitches. I have not seen the bite, but people say it looks very nice. Just like a bite through the hand.

It is unnerving seeing fish as big as you. The Barracuda swam up as if to keep us from going any farther forward. We turned and went to the side, but a few seconds later it appeared in front of us again. Davis signaled he wanted to go back. We turned and started swimming to the beach. The Barracuda came along beside of us and swam all the way into the beach watching us. It was very unnerving.

Davis thought it was the coolest thing ever. But, we decided it would be better to be bitten by a dog.