Ever been scared by a fish?

[Scubastud16]

So have you ever been scared by a fish while diving? I know it sounds strange, and I never thought I would be, but it's happened.

Here's my story:


Over the summer, we did a local pier clean up through the LDS I work at. I was working under the pier with my buddy, cutting monofilament from pilings, etc.

I cut a REALLY large piece off, and began wrapping it up to put it in my "goodie" bag. The attached hook kept getting caught in my gloves, and it took me several minutes to get it in the bag. When I looked up to move on, there was what I thought was a bull shark in my face (there was a bull shark attack at the pier 2 weeks before). Turns out it was a very, very large Goliath Grouper. He was 8'' at most from my mask. I jumped back (was on my knees), grabbed my large knife from it's sheath, and just about spit my reg out from screaming. All he did was hover, finning very slowly, and watched me. His HUGE eyes watched my every move, just being inquisitive.

He also had a buddy, slightly smaller than him. They were both in the 5.5-6 ft range. The larger of the two was twice as long as one of my fins. They proceeded to follow my partner and I the rest of the dive. Pretty cool, but he/she scared the CRAP out of me.

Your turn!

[datamunk]

hahaha yea... i have one about goliaths as well... i know them to be "bottom" fish most of the time, and while lobstering one day in west palm, i came up to one and started to come up for my safety stop, and the goliath actually came midwater at me for the lobster i assume. i swam away from it and it went back down but it was weird.. doin its stuff with the fins to slam.. that woulda been scary if u looked up and it did that right in ur face haha

another one is when i was in dry tortugas spearfishin, there were a lot of remoras in the area, for whatever reason... decent size, like, 2.5' or so.. anywya, they would just follow me and my other divers, alllll thru the dive.. it was really annoyin.. i got so pissed by it tryin to stick on my fin or leg that i almost shot one ;P but, i controlled my trigger finger, and just pushed at it with the butt of my gun...

not "scared" but, aggitated and i never knew what was goin on..

ive also had a few isntances where id be spearfishin or lobsterin and have barracudas follow me around, not very enjoyable either

[Kokomo]

We were diving in Key Largo at Wench Hole on Molasses Reef. Saw a huge eagle ray in the distance and started swimming after it. Swam over some coral and came down on the other side and was looking around for the ray when a hammerhead swam by about 10 feet in front of us. It wasn't scary as much as it was awesome and unexpected.

[BobArnold8265]

The only time I was scared by a fish was the first time a Tarpon went by me on a night dive. Nothing like a very large silver/white thing zooming by you in the pitch black of a night dive !!!

My wife once got spooked by a 'Cuda once. She was intensely looking at a ship wreck when this good sized 'Cuda swam up behind her and hovered about foot behind her. She turned around and "jump" (or whatever you'd call it underwater) about 3 feet.

[texdiveguy]

Can't say I have---'yet'.

[ScubaGir1]

I was scared by a morey eel. I was looking down and was going around a reef. I looked up and a morey eel at least seven inches in diameter shot out of his hole. I think I scared him, and I know they breath by opening an closing their mouth, but it still scared me. There were 3 morey eels in that hole actually. The other two poked their head out a few seconds later. I've never swam backwards so fast in my life.

[datamunk]

one time some random diver was followin me while i lobstered, i guess to watch, and i stuck my head over a lil ledge to look under and see whats there... there was a big ol nurse shark sleepin, head right in ym face... startled me a bit, so i came up, motioned for him to come and look, and he did and he pushed himself up off the ledge, bubbles everywhere and the shark slowly swam away.. i got a giggle

[pnevai]

GRRRRR, GGRRRRR!!!
Scared? HUH? ARE YA? ARE YA?

[datamunk]

haha how many pictures do you have of that fish!?

[scubafreak]

I was surfacing next to a pier on Saturday night and as I turned to face the ladder a massive seal (at least 5 foot) swam straight towards me and then took off.

I nearly pooped in my drysuit