Has anyone ever come up close with a shark or barracuda?

[sweet angel]

Finally, if you want to be safe do NOT wear a swim suit that is blue, grey, or black. These are all the colors of a shark's favorite food (the aforementioned seal). Wear bright colors - yellows, orange, or even red.

I read years ago that the worst color to wear was "yum, yum, yellow".

 

By the way, RiverRev, hi neighbor! I'm from FR also.

[PhinsAndGills]

Now when I hear "Hummer! Hummer!" I realize they are saying "Hammer! Hammer!" If youy hear this, get out of the water, don't look for a car!LOL!

Karen

 

That's funny! I would have LOVED to have seen it! Were you IN the water near it?

[boingy300]

That's funny! I would have LOVED to have seen it! Were you IN the water near it?

 

Yes I was right next to him. Scared me a little too! Nothing like the ocean coming alive right in front of you! It reminded me of of "jungle footage" when they showed piranahs, remember? My DH and I surpressed our laughter initially. Trooper that he is ,though, has his snorkel gear ready and is going back in this cruise. "No victims were created in the making of this child". I hope he has a blast! Luckily he was too young to remember the Hammerhead!

Karen

"Gumbert Family Cruiser"

[2Sisterz]

It was 15 years ago this past February and my DH and I were honeymooning in St. Thomas at the Bolongo Bay Resort. We were snorkeling at their beach, in not to deep of water, when my DH stood to remove his fin (got sand in it) to clean it out. I, silly me, decided to venture forth. I was enjoying the snorkel when I came upon a rather long, silvery and very calm fish. He stared at me and I stared at him. I had an instant sinking feeling that this was not a fish to be reckoned with. So I slowly started swimming backwards while keeping my eyes on him (and he watched me the whole time). When I reached my DH, I told him, "I think I saw a barracuda!". Well, he was bummed he missed seeing it and wanted to swim in that direction. I pleaded with him not to and we snorkeled off into a different area. The water was a bit rougher there and we were being slammed into mustard coral. We had had enough at that point so we headed back to land.

 

After our snorkel, we returned our fins and decided to take a look at the map of the beach area. We realized there were indeed barracuda to be seen (yep, that was the fish I saw:eek: ) and rough water with dangerous coral that we should avoid!! In hindsight, yes, we should have read the map first!! But it was some of the best snorkeling we've ever had!!

 

PS: Also had my shiny new diamond wedding ring on which I had turned around backwards as I had also heard barracuda were attracted to shiny objects!!

[MCazer]

Here is a little picture from my shark dive.

 

My husband was next to me, and snapped this one. Pretty cool!

 

Before we did the dive, our divemaster said, you will feel like touching them, but don't try. He said that the shark you are going to try to touch won't be bothered, it is the one that is behind you that you don't see, that is the one you have to worry about. LOL

 

Funny thing is, I really did want to reach out and touch them. They told use to stay still, and not to lift our arms over our heads. So, we had to hold our camera at chest height because the strobe would have been over our head and sticking out... not a good thing!

[Carrie P]

All of you have had such awesome experiences underwater... Not me, I'm "chicken of the sea"!........ Let's see how brave I get this trip. About 6-7 years ago we went snorlkeling in mexico on an excursion to xel-ha... I couldn't get the hang of the flippers, felt awkward and the breathing made me nuts. When I finally got the hang of it and was getting comfortable along came a school of BIG fish.... All the people above saw were my bubbles.. I panicked and that finished me for snorkeling.

[Iamthesea]

I saw a barracuda, near a dock while snorkeling in Chankanaab.

 

I had the same experience as the above poster, 2Sisterz. The difference was that the barracuda was grinning at me....yes, GRINNING! :eek: I backed off and took the following photo (no flash). At that time, the barracuda started toward me. I backed off some more. Mind you... at the time, I thought it was a small shark. It looked 5 feet long, but was probably more like 3 feet. When my husband located me, I showed him the shark. We both took another look and when I turned back to my DH, he was swimming off in the opposite direction and just left me there. :mad:

 

The second photo is one I took later in the day of the same dock. I wanted to go tell the foot dangler that he should pick his legs up, but I was afraid I would encounter that grinning again.:eek:

 

The third photo was an eel we saw in Grand Cayman.

 

OK, get your magnifying glass out. The upload turned out too small. I promise there is a barracuda there.

[MCazer]

I saw a barracuda, near a dock while snorkeling in Chankanaab.

 

I had the same experience as the above poster, 2Sisterz. The difference was that the barracuda was grinning at me....yes, GRINNING! :eek: I backed off and took the following photo (no flash). At that time, the barracuda started toward me. I backed off some more. Mind you... at the time, I thought it was a small shark. It looked 5 feet long, but was probably more like 3 feet. When my husband located me, I showed him the shark. We both took another look and when I turned back to my DH, he was swimming off in the opposite direction and just left me there. :mad:

 

The second photo is one I took later in the day of the same dock. I wanted to go tell the foot dangler that he should pick his legs up, but I was afraid I would encounter that grinning again.:eek:

 

The third photo was an eel we saw in Grand Cayman.

 

OK, get your magnifying glass out. The upload turned out too small. I promise there is a barracuda there.

 

You mention photos 1, 2 and 3, but there is no link! Come on I want to see them! LOL

[Iamthesea]

Let's try again!

 

Not great, but you get the picture. I am going to try and just scan the one photo and try again.

[Iamthesea]

Last time!

 

Oh well...it was really big. the file had to be so small on this board that I couldn't get a good photo to post.

[Soxfan05]

One summer on the Cape it seemed like beaches were constantly being cleared because of Basking Sharks. No big deal but I think the guards were trying to avert panic.

 

This past fall, a LARGE great white shark was occupying in inlet on the Cape as well. I never went down to see it but the up close pics were fascinating. A team put a tracker device on her but unfortunately, she managed to dislodge it prior to heading out to see. It would've been nice to see where she headed and how close to popular beaches she hunted. Here's hoping she stays far out a Cleveland Ledge!

[MGoBlue2]

We did swim w/ the nurse sharks in Belize. They are like vacuum cleaners. Swam off when we got in the water.

 

When snorkeling in Cozumel on our first cruise we saw a group of baracuda, but they didn't come close to us.

 

When snorkeling at Princess's private beach, I was using a can of Cheeze Whiz to bait the fish to come to me. It worked well . . . too well. Just an FYI, a can of Cheeze Whiz can also be used to poke at baracuda to drive them off!!! :eek: (Just a small on, but a baracuda just the same.)

 

Michelle

I also saw barracuda snorkeling in Cozumel.

[sweet angel]

All of you have had such awesome experiences underwater... Not me, I'm "chicken of the sea"!........ Let's see how brave I get this trip. About 6-7 years ago we went snorlkeling in mexico on an excursion to xel-ha... I couldn't get the hang of the flippers, felt awkward and the breathing made me nuts. When I finally got the hang of it and was getting comfortable along came a school of BIG fish.... All the people above saw were my bubbles.. I panicked and that finished me for snorkeling.

I also snorkeled in Xel-Ha, but I came face mask to nose with a huge grouper. I'm not a big fan of water, and my ex-hubby said all he could see of me was my bubbles. I haven't snorkeled since. Guess we're both chickens of the sea!

 

Now, about that fudge..... :D

[TrqoisWtrs]

When snorkeling in about 15-20 ft of water in Cozumel last summer I saw a barracuda - and had a barracuda experience I will never forget. Was just snorkeling along watching a school of tangs and all of a sudden they all took off in one direction swimming off behind me. In that split second, I realized something big might be coming. Sure enough, along came this huge barracuda, about 4 ft and very round long body. He stopped over this head of coral almost directly below me and I realized he was stalking something. Out darted this poor trigger fish and tried to make a break for it, but unfortunately, the barracuda took just one huge bite and chomped the poor fish in half. The head portion started to float towards the surface and me, trailing bloody stuff! :eek: :eek: I started backpedaling so fast, and I must have looked hysterial, all pink fins and splashing. In the meantime, the barracuda finished the back end of the fish and came up towards the surface to grab the head. By that time I was a bit of a ways away, but still watching with my heart going 240! It was just like something on the Discovery Channel. Very very cool, and I have to say I never felt threatened by the barracuda itself, he was just focused on catching his dinner. I was able to snap a few pics, but only had the underwater disposable and unfortunately with the distance, they didn't come out too good.

[xpcdoojk]

Well as a certified diver, I have seen tons of Baracudas. Including two huge ones in Grand Cayman off 7 mile beach that seemed to be part of our dive excursion on my first ocean dive in 96. They literally swam about 10 feet from us for 10 minutes they were kind of part of our school, I would estimate them at 6 plus feet. Seen them just about everywhere we have dived at in the Caribbean, some small some huge. They seem perfectly harmless. In over 50 ocean dives I have seen sharks exactly 1 time. It was a huge nurse shark,8 to 10 feet,(its tail was at least 2 feet high) on a night dive in Cozumel. I spotted it first, of our group of about 10 divers, and I tapped my tank and got the dive masters attention on it with my small flashlight. Then 2 gonzo photo guys dive bombed the poor thing flashing their strobes like crazy the poor thing about cr*pped its drawers and swam off, right at me... which made me hold my breath, and due to the dark I went from 45 feet to about 10 feet in a few seconds, not a good dive habit. ;)

 

jc

[Carrie P]

Keep em coming people... Your stories are great...

[Carrie P]

that is too funny........

I also snorkeled in Xel-Ha, but I came face mask to nose with a huge grouper. I'm not a big fan of water, and my ex-hubby said all he could see of me was my bubbles. I haven't snorkeled since. Guess we're both chickens of the sea!

 

Now, about that fudge..... :D