How do I get over my fear of eels?

[gemdiver]

I'm really scared that I'm going to freak out when I see an eel unserwater. Is there any way to get over this fear?

 

[chickdiver]

Eels are one of the coolest things to see underwater! Remember that they arelikely as frightened of you as you are of them- and it's rare to see them freely swimming, usually you just see thier head peeking out a hole in the reef.

 

[Zippsy]

Half serious response: go to a japanese restaurant and eat some eel. It's delicious. Next time you see one underwater, you'll get hungry instead of freaked out.

 

[crispos]

Moray Eels never come out and bite you. They just hang out in front of their holes and look at you. Their mouths are open but they mean no aggression.

Some eels like big Greens, actually can be fed and coaked out to be pet!!

Gemdiver, I suggest you see these eels with a Divemaster pointing them out, in shallow water.

 

[JohnF]

I'm really scared that I'm going to freak out when I see an eel unserwater. Is there any way to get over this fear?

Go to Key Largo and ask the dive op to point you to Ricky. I forget where he lives but I seem to recollect it's near the winch. I'm not even sure if he's still there but he sure was friendly a couple of years ago. Obviously folks have been feeding him so when I just hung above the sand he swam right up to me and started snooping around in the pockets of my bcd for food. He was great. At one point he'd wrapped himself completely around me as he stuck his nose in my pockets looking for a handout. After meeting him it's pretty hard to be uneasy about Morays, at least Green ones. Those little stripey suckers seem kinda nasty though.

JF

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Half serious response: go to a japanese restaurant and eat some eel. It's delicious. Next time you see one underwater, you'll get hungry instead of freaked out.

When I saw this thread, thats exactly what I first thought. Eat them. Eat alot of them. Fear gone...

 

[Zippsy]

Gosh JohnF, I love seeing morays but I think I would freak out if one approached me like that. Gemdiver may just go into full cardiac arrest!

 

[gemdiver]

Gosh JohnF, I love seeing morays but I think I would freak out if one approached me like that. Gemdiver may just go into full cardiac arrest!

The only time I've seen an eel was while snorkeling in Cayman. It came out of it's hole to get some food that the snorkel guy had for him and I thought that was the scariest thing ever. If I could have jumped out of the water right then, I would have. I have refused to do the Stingray City dive because I've heard about the friendly eel there.

I may be ok if they just stay in their hole and I can swim away but I'd probably drop my reg if it swam out to greet me.

Is this a normal fear?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Here's a little clip of a really big green moray. As you will note, he's not concerned with me at all... and he, his cousins & siblings won't be concerned with you either... relax and enjoy 'em. They really are neat people.
Rick

 

[archman]

Here's a little clip of a really big green moray. As you will note, he's not concerned with me at all... and he, his cousins & siblings won't be concerned with you either... relax and enjoy 'em. They really are neat people.
Rick

Nice choice of music to go along with that. I was expecting the eel to bite you during the build-up. Oh well.