Barracuda

[perdidobay]

I'm glad you got to see him. He just hung around watching DH and I, didn't seem too interested in us, and swam away after 5 minutes of staying still for his glamour shots

 

[jjgarv]

As the other half of jjgarv, I must toot my wife's horn. Since here "alleged" run-in with the 10 foot barracuda at CC, she has snorkled with the stingrays in the Cayman's. It is amazing how a scream can travel so clearly under water! She was not in the water a minute when one of the residents started to glide up her leg. To her credit, she eventually was holding stingrays and feeding them. I am sure she will see Barry in a different light when we return to CC this October. Love you dear.........

 

[mom_rules]

When we were at Serenity Bay in March we were warned that they had spotted two sharks, a ray and a barracuda that morning. They said they were keeping an eye on them and they would warn us if they came too close. Got about 5 feet from the ray-great photo. Didn't see the others.

 

[Aquagirl]

My husband saw a couple of barracudas while snorkeling in Serenity Bay. He also saw a 4-5 ft shark. They won't bother you if you dont bother them. I was more worried about stepping on urchins.

 

[chrisn]

My DH swam around the family beach with a 5 foot Nurse Shark. I personally would have freaked! We love to snorkel and have done so at many different places. I have never encountered a shark. Also, my husband shook hands with a 4 foot baracuda in Cozumel. We have great pics of him baring is sharp and scary looking teeth. My DD was with him at the time and immediately removed herself from the reef upon encountering him. She came out of the water crying and saying that the snorkeling there was WAY too intense for her and she thought the baracuda ate her dad because she couldn't find him. She was 14 at the time. We laugh about that now when we view the great pics! Don't go into the water if you are on your periodical, don't wear shiny jewelry or swimwear (they resemble scales), avoid early morning and dusk hours, and always have a buddy with you. The ocean world is a wondrous thing but it needs to be respected. Hope you enjoy yourself!

 

[fairytalelover]

I'm staying in the swimming pool. I dont need to see the oceanic wildlife that bad.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

There is one that hangs around by the sunkin ship at the family beach in the snorkeling area........We saw it each of the last 2 years.......

 

[Kellygurlz74]

Ok, that does it! I'm laying out on the beach!
Barracudas, sharks & stuff OH MY!

I'll look at them thru the glass at atlantis!

 

[disneybride96]

These creatures are worthy of respect, but not worthy of extreme fear. Chances are probaby better that you will get bit by the neighbor's dog.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

If the neighbors dog bites me while snorkeling at CC something something is definately wrong....... I couldn't resist!!!

 

[jhorstma]

Barracuda are quite safe if you give them a good alternative to biting you - what you want to do is attract them to you with bright sparkly accouterments (glue some glitter on your swimsuit before you leave home!) and then once they come close feed them with lobster or hamburger patties obtained from Cookies (just ask the CMs there when they open for lunch - they should have bags of these put together specially for snorkelers). Makes for a wonderful photo opportunity (just put your digital camera in a ziploc - will stay nice and dry - make sure to use the flash though).

Am I an expert - no, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Seriously, DW and I had a surprise face to face encounter w/Barry in the family snorkeling lagoon - he's a big fish but not particularly threatening. He was just hanging out, looked at us, then swam slowly away. It was pretty cool. If anything spooks you about snorkeling it's going to be the sheer distance you go out away from shore (or from boats if on an excursion) - don't worry though because with a life vest you won't sink and with fins it's pretty effortless to cover significant distances without getting tired. Look in our trip report for 3/19/05 Eastern for some additional brief thoughts on snorkeling. But don't be fooled into thinking that the glass-bottom boat excursions are equivalent to snorkeling - they're pretty much a waste of money.

 

[mom_rules]

How do you all know that this is Barry? and not some distant (hungry) relative?

 

[jhorstma]

How do you all know that this is Barry? and not some distant (hungry) relative?

The "Mother" tattoo on his dorsal fin is a dead give-away.

 

[mom_rules]

You mean the mother heart with the dagger through it and the mickey ears?

 

[gatrbait]

I will be looking for him although my luck he will be lurking in the shadows hiding from me..
You guys crack me up I needed the laugh, thank you. I will let you know if I do see him if he has any new tattoo's, and I'll tell him the dis board crew said howdy