Grouper Attack

[TSandM]

Oh, I'm sorry this happened to your daughter!

We have some smaller fish in Puget Sound called Cabezons. They'll get up to the 30" range, but most aren't quite that big. But during their nesting season, they are wildly aggressive and will attack and bite divers. It's a very unnerving experience, although the injuries are usually quite minor (of course, we're also diving in thick insulation and heavy hoods!)

 

[DandyDon]

I am impressed with how well your daughter handled that. Glad she did the next dive.

She wears a yellow and black hair band over the back of her mask strap.

I have to wonder why the fish went at her but not you two and wonder if he was attracted to that or something else on her head...?

Divers with jewelry really do ask for it, loss or attraction of cudas, but a bright hair band?

 

[Qnape]

I have to wonder why the fish went at her but not you two and wonder if he was attracted to that or something else on her head...?

Divers with jewelry really do ask for it, loss or attraction of cudas, but a bright hair band?

The grouper didn't show aggressive interest in me and seemed to be trying to get past me to her when I whacked it with my camera / tray. Small camera - Olympus 1030SW with flash and arm, but the tray is solid. After then pushing it away the second time with my hands (like her I dropped my camera and it was dangling from the strap) it seemed to lose drive but stayed close until we started away. She said she hit it with an uppercut at least once defending herself before I could get to her - I could see her thrashing. Our third buddy was not approached on the other side. Perhaps the fish became cautious after getting a few whacks itself.

We thought of jewelry; she did have earrings on but they were small, greyish metal and not dangling. No bright hair bands or clips. The mask strap band you can see in the photo, above and in front of her head after being pulled off - it is mainly black with a yellow border and the brand name written in the center in yellow. Maybe it thought the yellow writing contrasted on black was attractive / food? This type of mask band cover seems very commonplace among women divers and hardly looks appetizing to me, but I'm no grouper.

Thanks everyone for the kind words - she said her biggest disappointment of the trip was no night dives - both cancelled due to rough conditions. Plus she has one heck of a story to tell her friends - backed up by the photo! Tough cookie indeed.

 

[DandyDon]

Again, I admire your daughter and you too - but I still suggest leaving all jewelry and bright hair bands in the room or dive bag for later. Thank Gawd it wasn't a cuda!

 

[ReeferBen]

Again, I admire your daughter and you too - but I still suggest leaving all jewelry and bright hair bands in the room or dive bag for later. Thank Gawd it wasn't a cuda!

I have had lots of cudas be curious but never cause a problem. I'll never forget snorkling when I was a kid, about 9. I was swimming along with my eyes closed (don't ask why) when I opened my eyes there was a cuda right with its mouth slightly open, face to my mask swimming right in front of me. When I got back on the boat my mother told me she's never seen me swim so fast lol.

Qnape glad it all worked out for you. I can't agree more with the statements that no diver should interact with the wildlife. Theres a video on youtube of a man feeding hotdogs to a eel. The guy keeps these hotdogs in a plastic bag and keep pulling the eel furthur out from its hole feeding it. It then trys to grab the bag from his hand and bites off his thumb. I hate to be this way but he got what he deserved. Should have known better, and lucky he had a good surgeon.

YouTube - Crazy Scuba Diver Has Accident

 

[DandyDon]

I have had lots of cudas be curious but never cause a problem. I'll never forget snorkling when I was a kid, about 9. I was swimming along with my eyes closed (don't ask why) when I opened my eyes there was a cuda right with its mouth slightly open, face to my mask swimming right in front of me. When I got back on the boat my mother told me she's never seen me swim so fast lol.

I've swam with many cudas, seen some huge ones on Florida wrecks that wouldn't move out of my way - so I went around. I've also read of a few hits, one bad one on a guy from Houston who had have have his eye repaired and quarter of his face rebuilt.

 

[pecuda]

I just want to say, all of you handled the situation perfectly! And your daughter, AWESOME!!! I've had a grouper swim right up to my mask and snap at my face. I hit him with my 6v dive light!. The next thing I did was move out of his space! I personally think the big fish are protecting their turf. My wife and I encountered a big Cuda one night in Belize. He was a rouge all alone and we were working our way out in about 40' of water. Luckily, all he did was made 4 passes at us, head on, and I swatted him each time right under the jaw with my good ole 6v dive light. We never quit making headway, and infact sped up! As soon as we were away from his turf, he quit. My wife on the other hand, was tucked in so tight, I could hardly kick my fins!!

Your daughter is awesome! So many of todays newbies would have popped the top and turned into a fizzy. Good job girl!!!!!! (I have two daughters so I am biased!)

 

[Qnape]

I personally think the big fish are protecting their turf. ... As soon as we were away from his turf, he quit.

Territoriality definitely played a role; we knew by moving away we would end the situation for certain. We knew the groupers were territorial and I guess this guy on his turf felt he was top dog. Glad to let him have his spot; I only wish he had gone after me instead of her. I, too am very glad it was not a cuda - we saw many near Bloody Bay Wall including a very large black cuda holed up between two large coral heads that held his position very firmly - I would not have wanted to get too close to his spot! We came near him around a corner, realized he was not moving / holding his spot, backed away and gave him a wide berth.

As for the hair band - it is mostly black and we never would have though of it as attractive. I agree about the jewelry and I wear nothing - my daughter only her earrings chosen especially as not shiny / reflective. We've talked about this and minimize flash intentionally - but how far does one go? We all have shiny metal D-rings or clips on our rigs; they would certainly seem to be more of a target than a mainly black mask hair band. Should the clips be anodized black? Of course - you don't wear them on your head..

Territoriality plus too much socialization I think is the best explanation. We observed many divers tickling these guys under their chins - and the groupers following them like dogs for more. Not as crazy as the guy in the Moray eel video (thanks ReeferBen -I agree that guy was yet another in the seemingly endless supply of Darwin award nominees), but not wise, and may lead to trouble for future divers entering the territory of the wrong fish.

 

[Lee Taylor]

Thanks for the documentation. Serves to remind me that wild animals are unpredictable.

 

[crd_kats]

Unfortunately, I've had a small school of 6"-8" fish nip at my hair for about 3 minutes at the beginning of a dive trip years ago. After much speculation (and laughter) as to why they were on me and not my buddy, I decided not to use the leave in conditioner on my next dives and didn't have an issue for the rest of the trip.

Glad your daughter is ok and didn't panic.


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