I was leading the dive and i was about 2feet from the eal...You wouldnt think it was a common thing..But ive talked to alot of people that have had problems with eels.
trouble with eels
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PhotoTJ
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If a bug is sharing a hole with an eel, then he is safe from me!
I see the big green moray's swimming around all the time. It took me a hundreds of encounters to learn to let them swim around me and get GF/BF close. I think if you do not extend your fingers or stick your hand into holes you will not get bit.
I know of several divers that get real friendly with them. One in particular shares her BCD with a local eel (nicknamed BAby) with the eel swimming around her body and behind her neck and generally just doing the hole B grade movie scene. I finally have decided they can not kill me and do not have a posion/venom sac so I just relax.
Now those KILLER Puffer fish! - - FINGER Chomping MoNsterS! - - Eeekkkkkk
I know of several divers that get real friendly with them. One in particular shares her BCD with a local eel (nicknamed BAby) with the eel swimming around her body and behind her neck and generally just doing the hole B grade movie scene. I finally have decided they can not kill me and do not have a posion/venom sac so I just relax.
Now those KILLER Puffer fish! - - FINGER Chomping MoNsterS! - - Eeekkkkkk
shooter226
Contributor
<<Now those KILLER Puffer fish! - - FINGER Chomping MoNsterS! - - Eeekkkkkk>>
Yep, this is how I almost was bit. Took the end of a pair of leather gloves off just missing one of my favorite fingers!
Yep, this is how I almost was bit. Took the end of a pair of leather gloves off just missing one of my favorite fingers!
Hmmm...maybe I should stop shaking them up then lol.
This is my first post so Hello everyone. This is the first subject I really have had much experience with. I was lobster hunting at Anacapa Island (Southern Calif.) when I was bit by a Moray. I Was trying to pull a big bug out of a hole when I was bit in the finger. It happened so quick, all I felt was a tug on my finger [no pain]. It left me with a bleeding finger and a torn glove. I think he could of bit me alot worse if he wanted to.
Tom
Tom
caymaniac
Contributor
Once at band camp..............I was at StingRay City off Grand Cayman and was looking in a coral head at a large moray (green) after spending some time with the stingrays, I looked down to adjust my camera for a minute when I felt a strange sensation in my BC. The moray that was deep in a hole in the coral head, he came out and curled around my back inbetween my wetsuit and BC, he went in one side and came out the other. I was so mezmerized, I never took a picture but I did touch his body with a free hand as he was swimming away from me.......soft, very velvety soft. There was another diver who was near to me almost freaked out, but I stayed calm, nothing happened other than now I have a story to tell about an eel.
devolution365
Contributor
I'm not a hunter, but for anyone reading this who isn't either, let me calm your fear of eels...
I don't know, maybe the killer eel stories didn't make it far enough inland to reach me in Chicago, but I never heard that morays (or eels in general) were dangerous. I've been snorkeling many times and seen them hiding in coral or under rocks. I've dove down to get a closer look or get pictures. The thought of getting bit never crossed my mind... Of course, I wasn't sticking my hands in the hole or otherwise interacting with them. Just looking... I say: If you keep your hands to yourself your fine.
Now as for you hunters, well, I guess it's just part of the sport. -Good luck and be careful! -Sounds like they can pack quite a punch if they feel it's necessary!
I don't know, maybe the killer eel stories didn't make it far enough inland to reach me in Chicago, but I never heard that morays (or eels in general) were dangerous. I've been snorkeling many times and seen them hiding in coral or under rocks. I've dove down to get a closer look or get pictures. The thought of getting bit never crossed my mind... Of course, I wasn't sticking my hands in the hole or otherwise interacting with them. Just looking... I say: If you keep your hands to yourself your fine.
Now as for you hunters, well, I guess it's just part of the sport. -Good luck and be careful! -Sounds like they can pack quite a punch if they feel it's necessary!
About 30 years ago I used to dive right off the beach on the north shore of Long Island, NY USA, mainly for lobsters. You don't find Moray eels in Long Island Sound but you sure do find Green Conger eels and sometimes of rather impressive dimensions. Also it was not uncommon at all to find a nice size "bug" taking up residence with an equally nice size Conger eel. I noticed that many times the lobster would have one antenna pointing toward the mouth of the hole and the other pointing to the side or back of hole. Needless to say you never just stuck your hand in ANY hole to grab a lobster. You always had to survey the hole carefully. Conger eels seemed to take great exception to any form of home invasion. They do not have the large mouth and teeth of a Moray but they seem to have very quick tempers and do not hesitate to bite rude divers that poke a hand into their livingroom. They will not come out after you, at least I never saw one do it but, like the Moray, once they grab hold of you, they can shread some meat from a bare hand in no time at all. I guess the eels in Florida are pretty much of the same temperment.
Diver Dennis
Contributor
Living in Puerto Vallarta most of the year we see many types of eels including the big green Panamic eels virtually every dive. They are gentle and not aggressive. On a lot of dives we will even pet them to impress on tourists that very point but most are very shy and move away from your hand. We used to feed them 6" Google Eyes we bought from the bait fishermen but after a while they would actually start to follow divers around expecting a free meal. This would understandibly freak them out, so we stopped. They are much like your neighbors dog, they probably won't even think about biting you unless you stick your fingers in their mouth.
Like most any animal they are not dangerous unless provoked.
Like most any animal they are not dangerous unless provoked.
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