Okay Rustys Mate, I'll share a few, over time. You mentioned you have never seen a Grouper in the "wild". My second day of diving on the reef in Belize was my first encounter with one. Six of us were enjoying 84 degree water and virtually unlimited visability. I was pulling up the rear of the group when I thought I saw something close, just to my right, I looked over and there was nothing there. I no more looked forward and back to my right and there he was, what the local dive leader thought to be 350+ lbs of black grouper. He was side by side with me, within arm's reach. Unknown to me the leader had a bag of bait fish tucked in his BC, but the grouper must have thought it was my turn to feed him. He actually blocked me off from the rest of the group and started swimming in circles around me. It was all I could do to spin as fast as he was going. (I knew they weren't supposed to be dangerous,but something that size I'm not turning my back on) I checked on the rest of the group, and by the squinty eyes and the massive amount of bubbles, I could tell they were laughing their butts off. The leader finally came over with some treats and let me make a new friend. Even pet him a few times. Later, I was told they call them the Labradors of the sea, because they are like big ol' dogs that want to play. I've seen some big fish before, but, you just don't find them like that in the Great Lakes. They may be there, but you just can't see them. Most of my diving is in lakes, quarrys, and the Great Lakes in and around Wisconsin. That's where "doorguy" comes from,,, Door County,, for those who don't know that's the thumb of Wisconsin. There is an abundance of wrecks at the tip of the penninsula, an area known as The Devils Door, or Deaths Doorway. I have some other stories to share on later dates.
