I was snorkeling around Green Island off Cairns in Queensland, Australia and didn’t find much of corals near the island.
I do think much of my swimming prowess and went a little more deeper into the ocean than others and came across a school of over 100 of 12 inches long striped fish.
And I followed them. Instead of running away, they started coming back close on my side allowing me to follow them for a good portion of my nearly two hours of snorkel.
It was priceless as otherwise i had only some dead corals and occasional coloured fish.
On return, I googled for 12 inch long school of striped fish in Tasman sea and came across this picture. Oh Boy, I am thrilled. I was swimming with barracudas.
Barracudas are dangerous fish, growing into monstrous size and probably trained their youngsters to move in groups and nearer to shore for safety.
There was only one thing to be sorted out. They were not as shiny as the ones I got from google. Reading on I got the answer. Young barracudas can change colour to suit environment for camouflage. Yes I was swimming with barracudas.
Barracudas are scavengers. Thankfully they didn’t have food in mind when they followed me. They mistake snorkelers as predators and follow to eat the remains of the kill, like the striped hyena.
Most amazing and memorable experience and I returned triumphantly
my husband would love to see it by himself but australia is so far away…
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One day during his snorkelling, he may have the opportunity
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Wow that’s great
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A unique experience Shalini
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I’d be terrified!
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They looked so cute
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Super thrilling experience! I am sure the revelation would have given goosebumps!!
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Yes, absolutely Sunando. And it was a relief to read that they were not looking at me as food, but were waiting for my kill to enjoy the spoils
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I was looking for you in the middle of barrakuda, but I found you standing alone without any barrakuda near by
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Haahaha. Oh yes, I was waiting for you
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Glad to know that you got that picture off the Web and wasn’t there surrounded by the fish.
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The ones in the sea looked so cute. Apparently they can adopt the colour and with green tinted back and nice silver side with numerous stripes, they looked elegant
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Fun.
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😊
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