You have heard the term "groupie" used for someone who follows around famous entertainers, so I guess you could call me a "grouper groupie" in this photo, because I was definitely following this entertaining fish! Fred took the photo of me back in the nineties, when we were diving the azure waters off the coast of Cozumel. It was during a time when divemasters carried special "fish treats" in their BCD's that were particularly delicious to the gigantic grouper fish that could be seen back in those days. The grouper I am pictured behind was quite a bit larger than I was, but it was so gentle and slow-moving, I never felt threatened by it. If you are only used to seeing the smaller size groupers, you may think this is trick photography---but it's not. The fish was every bit as big as it looks in the photo. We only saw those "big uns" the first year we dove Cozumel. In subsequent years, divemasters were no longer allowed to try to attract fish by luring them with treats, so I don't know if those larger groupers were captured by fishermen, or they no longer felt it was worth their time to see what the divemaster was doing, since they learned the divemasters no longer had goodies for them. I am just thankful I had the opportunity to swim with what I would call a leviathan! That word "leviathan" is used several times in the Bible, but the verse that best fits this photo is in Job 41:1 "Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook, or tie down his tongue with a rope?" The answer is "NO!", and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to swim along side this beautiful creation of God. Miles of smiles! Tricia
