Lighthouse Reef: Half Moon Cay: Attack of the Yellow Tail Snappers

Thursday, February 6, 2003

017-12.480 N
087-32.220 W

It was a beautiful day like so many days in the Caribbean and the dive started just like any other dive. Who was to know the horror that would befall us? I had spent the morning filling scuba tanks and working on electronics while Sue was trying her hand at making whole wheat bread. The loaf didn't turn out and she decided to turn it into fish food. Little did she know what a mistake that would be.

The wind had been howling from the east all night long and calmest water appeared to be at the west end of Half Moon Cay. After lunch we loaded the dinghy with dive gear and headed towards some dive balls that the local dive companies were using. As we cleared the dinghy channel a dive boat left the ball that was closest to us and sped away. Had we been closer, I'm sure that we would have seen the terror in their eyes.

Shortly after arriving Sue was suited up and was in the water. Since I always help her suit up, I wasn't ready to get in. Sue looked down and said "Oh, my friends are waiting for me!" and headed down. I finished suiting up, grabbed my camera, and rolled over the side. I was amazed when I looked down and saw hundreds of fish, most of them good sized Yellowtail Snappers, congregated around Sue. I started taking pictures right away. When Sue open her bread bag the school of fish descended upon her, completely enveloping her until she disappeared in the boiling mass of fish.

This would last until the food ran out and then the fish would move away. This process was repeated a few times and then the fish appeared to become much more brazen as they realized that they could take the food away from this helpless diver. In a flash they descended upon Sue, pecking at her mask, gloves and dive skin! Some of the larger fish grabbed the bag and pulled it from her hands! As soon as she let go, the attack stopped. I had the whole fish mugging on film!

While the fish were devouring what was left in the bag we high tailed it towards the reef in hopes of getting away from the band of marauding fish. A contingent of Yellowtail snappers followed us closely, apparently hoping to get the camera away from me. I had trouble filming the reef because the Yellowtail Snappers kept getting in the way of my shots. This section of reef was spectacular with lots of narrow canyons cutting through the reef and dropping off down the wall.

When we returned to the boat we pulled out our "Reef Fish Identification" mug shot book and identified the offending fish. It appears that this type of behavior is all too common where commercial dive boats take their divers. Clearly the fish have identified us as easy marks. When we go ashore tomorrow we plan to make a full report.

I'm happy to report that the trauma seems to have subsided. Perhaps it's the glass of wine or maybe it's the knowledge that I can shoot either film or my spear gun. Fish beware!

:-)
Geoff & Sue
Log ID: 337