Barracuda Attack

[Zen1300]

Yes, back to the real "whole point" of the post...

The watch I wear is a metallic band watch. Just how concerned should I be when diving in waters where barracudas are swimming? Would it be wise to change the band to reduce the "shining" aspects of the band, or is this just over thinking the risk?

 

[Puffer Fish]

Interesting... shiny objects. I wonder just how often an incident like this occurs with a barracuda and a shiny object. Is it more prevalent in extremities - rings, bracelets, watches? Have there been incidents involving earrings, D-Rings, Masks or other reflective objects on the person?

I've seen one hit a first stage that was shining in the sun...broke a lot of teeth out of it's mouth. If it is a myth, someone forgot to tell the barracuda.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I had one last year just come up and mouth my fin. Didn't bit or strike it, just softly put his mouth on the end. Had that been an arm and you jerked, would have lead to some nasty cuts.

 

[dvan1901]

I just got back from diving at Pennekamp this weekend and we saw a ton of barracuda. On one dive in particular we had one follow us for quite a while, and got a bit close a couple times. I took my knife out and tapped my tank to get the other peoples attention that were diving with us and when I turned around, he was gone; Just thought that was interesting.

 

[bobbates]

Poor young lady...I hope she's ok.
There is more hinky foolishness thrown down here than I can hope to address, and I can clearly see that sanity isn't going to get the last word (and neither will I).
The rational point is, fear of cuda's is one of the clarion tones of scubanubie. They're more common on the reefs of SoFl than squirrels in the trees, people. A million people a year snorkeling and diving (at least) in this area. One incident. In the middle of food being thrown in. With children snorkeling. The feeder may be the actual cause, but so far THAT little ditty has been dropped in favor of blaming the animal.
Throw food at a predator next to thrashing shrieking snorkelers (you don't really think otherwise, do you?) and somebody gets bitten? Bagels? Really...what an idiot. That's the real point here, isn't it? Quit the crapola about "shiny! YIKES!" Try "feeding wild predators around children...YIKES!"
Only in the ocean is this feeding nonsense tolerated these days. Don't feed wild animals. They're called "wild" for a reason. You go into their home...you show some respect. Or not.
This is NOT a theme park.

 

[alewar]

Interesting... shiny objects. I wonder just how often an incident like this occurs with a barracuda and a shiny object. Is it more prevalent in extremities - rings, bracelets, watches? Have there been incidents involving earrings, D-Rings, Masks or other reflective objects on the person?

I'm having troubles finding the link but there is a very well written story in this forum about a diver that during a night dive was attacked by a barracuda. The attack was provoked by the reflexion of the light on the diver's mask. The diver almost lost an eye and the barracuda broke its jaw... on his face.

Edit: here it is

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Given the proper set of conditions, any predator will confuse you with a prey and go for you. It would be more productive to learn from these rare bad experiences than to ridicule them.

It is even more productive to learn to refrain from arguing with an idiot.

 

[Eastbayfe]

A dive buddy of mine sent up a yellow surface marker attached to his reel when we found that the chartered dive boats anchor line had parted from the wreck we were diving. Barracuda hit the bag twice before it broke the surface shredding it.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

A charter boat that I've used for fishing several times had a case a few years ago. The guy was reeling in a fish, and when he lifted it into the boat, a 'cuda jumped out of the water and followed the fish, biting the guy on the chest and arm. Had to have the Coast Guard transport him for surgery on shore.

Yes, the 'cuda was going for its natural diet (fish, not bagels or bananas ). And yes, the insurance rates on that boat skyrocketed.

 

[PaulVS]

Barracuda are one of the reasons I despise snorkeling.

Not that anything every has happened to me.... but last time I went snokeling was on Isle Mujeres, and I was about 30 yards from shore (and the pier I got into the water from) when I noticed two of them within about 10 feet of me looking at me like I was lunch. Rough surface, so I was kind of bobbing around, and unable to keep an eye on them constantly... which strangely enough made me more nervous than when I was scuba diving past a school/wall of about 100 of 'em.

Of course that nasty "I want to kill & eat you" look that they have doesn't help either.