Arm Attack!!!!
Sounds terrible doesn't it! This story begins in Cozumel, Mexico. A store sponsored trip, we went down with ten clients. We stayed at the Plazas Las Glorias using Aqua Safaris's SCUBA Store for our scheduled boats and dives. Having been to Cozumel many times in my career, and will continue to do so - - my favorite Caribbean destination - - this trip was no different then the others we have been on. This trip was an experienced diver trip - - Rescue Diver Certified or better - - which allowed us to get a fast boat (30 knots +) for our dives and allowing us to dive some of the more interesting dive sites. Most dives that the "cattle" don't get to go on.
This particular trip we were heading out to feed the large groupers hugging one of the reefs. At this particular spot there were many large groupers - - 4 to 5 feet long, anxiously awaiting our arrival. Prior to this dive we had purchased fresh fish from one of the local venders. As we dropped down to about 40 feet we were greeted with a multitude of different kinds of fish. As divers, all of us who have dived in the Caribbean, the first greeters are yellow tails. Anyway, we were starting to feed the varieties - - I had fish in a plastic bag in my left hand, and feeding fish with my right.
I first spotted a Queen Trigger about 25 feet away. It was eying what I had in my hand, but was very leery to come over. I kept swaying my right hand back and forth. This must have been too much. The trigger got closer. After a few minutes the trigger was at my hand eating away. What a thrill! Of all my diving, this was the first time that a Queen Trigger ever came this close to me. The only time I've ever been this close before was on night dives, coming up on the trigger as it was jammed into the reef to sleep.
Soon I was feeding two Gray Angles. I love these guys, all the angles. Whenever you take pictures, they're always in the way. Photo Hams wanting to get into the act. They were really chomping. I was not really paying much attention to my left hand, holding the sack of fish. All of a sudden I felt something on my arm. It didn't startle me, but I looked and guess what? I had a 4-1/2 foot grouper with my arm in his mouth up to my elbow. He stared at me - - I stared at him. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw my wife and a couple other divers contorting with laughter. I'm not one easily distracted or frightened, so we both stared, and stared, and stared. I think it was about 15 seconds that the grouper stayed on my arm. His 50 cent piece eye revolving in it's socket saying, "give me the food" (almost like "show me the money"), you idiot. I kept thinking, get the "---- off my arm". He finally backed off, taking a good look at me, and probably if he was human, would have "flipped me off". I sure didn't want him to get the plastic bag, but in the end the grouper did prevail. I opened the sack and gave the grouper several fish and he went about his merry way. A good experience for both of us.
