Scuba diver faces huge barracuda in tunnel entrance

Diving on the reef at Little Cayman Island presents adventure seekers with excitement in many forms. There is an abundance of coral and structure to explore, complete with caverns and caves. The island is surrounded by a shallow reef that leads to a wall of coral that plunges almost straight down an unbelievable 6,000 feet. This reef is riddled with passageways that lead divers from the shallows, through dark and mysterious tunnels, to the abyss that lies on the other side.

This diver was on his way into a passage on the Bloody Bay Wall that would take him from a depth of 30 feet to an exit on the other side almost 90 feet from the surface.
What was not expected was to find that the adventure started early on the dive in the form of a 5 foot barracuda that was waiting in the shadows of the entrance. These big fish are all muscle and teeth and they wait in crevices to digest their last meal or to ambush their next one. They are so big and ferocious that they fear nothing on the reef except sharks and bigger barracuda.

This barracuda guards the tunnel and faces off against the uncertain diver who needs to get past. The beast's mouth opens and closes, giving a clear look at his impressive teeth. slowly, he drifts upward and out of the cave entrance, allowing the diver to go past.

Barracuda are terrifying in their appearance and people mistakenly believe that these fish are a threat to humans. The truth is that barracuda almost never intentionally bite or attack humans. These incidents are extremely rare and most of them involve humans being careless or threatening. People share stories of being followed or "stalked" by a large barracuda. This behavior is in fact largely curiosity or an attempt by the barracuda to find a free meal. Large fish often cooperate in hunting by assisting in the herding or the distraction of schooling fish. This makes it easier to pick off stragglers.

Barracuda grow to almost six feet in length and weigh more than 50 pounds. Their powerful jaws hold hundreds of teeth, with the canine teeth being as large as those of a big dog. The teeth on the barracuda are exceptionally sharp and extremely intimidating. It is no wonder that this diver was reluctant to enter the tunnel in the coral until the monster allowed it.