Grouper Friends

On my most recent dive trip I spent a week on Cayman Brac as a friend convinced me to finally check out Little Cayman‘s sister island.

During one dive, the friend (who is a local Dive Master there) warned the handful of divers on the boat that site we were at was known for a particularly friendly grouper that locals call Gary. He wasn’t wrong. As soon as we hit the water Gary zoomed up to check us each out. When the Dive Master popped in, Gary then proceeded to pretty much ignore all of us and followed my friend around like a puppy.

Then when the friend went to point out a large green Moray Eel, Gary got even friendlier and dare I even say, turned into a camera hog. Not only did he literally try to cuddle up to my friend, he then decided that no, I would not be taking any pictures of the eel…..

Here’s the story in pictures.


Gary wasn’t the only friendly fish I encountered during my recent trip. While diving on Little Cayman a week or so earlier, an unnamed grouper decided he really wanted to be my friend.

I even cobbled together a video of this guy and posted it on YouTube.

The Friendly Grouper