flirting barracuda or will I taste like chicken?

[CTurtle]

Dove the Spiegel Grove this weekend & can't wait to go back for more! Was kind of nervous since this was the first dive my husband has done since his knee replacement, so I was more concerned about him than whatever "deep sea monster" was going to be down there to get me.
On the second dive as I was doing my safety stop (longest 3 minutes of my life), there was the BIGGEST barracuda I had ever seen hanging out with me. I could swear that he was looking at me through the corner of his eyes & smiling. I say he was looking for lunch. Hubby said he was "smiling" cuz he was flirting with me. Either way, I was just wishing he would have stayed way over on "his side of the ocean" & not mine.

A big THANK YOU goes out to Ocean Divers for making this a memorable trip.. can't wait to go again!!

 

[freedive]

I think he was just showing you a bit of that warm water southern hospitality
It can be a little unnerving to encounter a large one unexpextedly though. In Nassau I was swimming around a large coral and came face to face (literally within a foot) with one approx 5-6 feet long who just happened to be coming in the other direction. It startled the S*%t out of me. He just stopped and stared at me while I SLOWLY backed up and swam around him (many rows of teeth have the right of way).
I know they are harmless to humans 99.9% of the time and are only curious but he was still an impressive site. I have been told they are a very territorial fish and the only time to keep an eye out for them is if you enter their nesting area. Then they may get aggressive and will display it by changing colors.

 

[CBulla]

I haven't really made a decision as to if they are flirting or dogs in the wrong body. I had one that hung with me through an entire dive, posing this way and that for me to take its picture. Finally, near the end of the dive he/she struck a pose and I snappped the pic to which the 'cuda then changed tactics from posing to tagging around like a dog until I climbed the ladder and boarded the boat.

Here's fidocuda:

 

[pdoege]

I almost always have one tagging along. Never had a problem.

I was down with a whole school of them once. Big school, 50+ cuda.

They never bothered me.

Bit unnerving to be up against that many of them.

Anyway, I have a theory about this. The typical barracuda food fish would be running away at great speed. Since you are moving very slowly (compared to a fish at least), do not appear to be concerned, and do not smell like a fish, the cuda/shark/whatever assumes that you are yet another apex predator that should not be bothered.

Just a theory.

Peter

 

[Grajan]

There was a really nice barra hanging out under the Buddy's pier in Bonaire last month - he just ignored us but the tarpon were much more freindly, coming alongside and swimming around us all the time.

 

[Grajan]

Another view.

 

[CBulla]

These curious 'cuda are something else.. hmm... what a great idea for childrens books "Curious 'Cuda and the Shiny Hook!"

pdoege - I think you could be onto something. I have had more swim-by's to check out the noisy thing in the neighborhood than I can count, but nothing agressive at all.

Grajan - nice pix

 

[FLArmyBrat]

FIDOCUDA!!!! You crack me up!

I'm glad I stopped in on this thread. All the non-divers I talk to about diving (and it seems that diving is all I can talk about these days) tell me to watch out for the sharks. Sharks never worried me all that much but barracuda did for some reason. Now I know that there is not too terribly much to worry about here either as long as cooler heads prevail!

Thanks for the great albeit unexpected lesson,
Laurel- The Frog Queen
:royal:

 

[BILLB]

I have been company to very large barracudas in Florida and in N.C. They are curious (you here this all the time) but I have never had an incident with them while on SCUBA. I have even video taped them at close range.

Spear fisherman are my greatest fears. First if they hit me with a shot or the barracudas see or smell their catches and the spear chunkers are NEXT to me!

They are beautiful and marvelous fish to watch and they are watching you too. I have had barracudas run at me while swimming or snorkeling in shallow water. Never attach mind you, just a show of territorial instinct.

The shiny object thing that some say attracts barracudas is usually not a problem either when diving. I always wear gloves so my rings on the finger are never showing (although I don't really think they would be interested anyway).

 

[Law5Guy]

Last July down in Key Largo was on Molasses Reef and saw this one. He didn't bother us at all. Just staying in the same spot on the bottom. Maybe he was taking a little snooze after a big lunch??