I was watching this Animal Planet show on the Great Barracuda. In the show they talked about how the great barracuda was as feared as the shark. I have been diving with enough sharks and barracuda that they don't really bother me all that much anymore. I much more afraid of the portuguese man of war and urchins. I was wondering if people outside Florida get this type of press on the barracuda.

Although- the first dive I went on I came up on what I thought was kelp swaying in the water column. (At the time I didn't know we didn't get that kind of kelp in Florida). When I turned to the side I noticed that it was a large school of barracuda, all over 4 feet, with the largest well over 5 feet long. They followed by me close, (10 feet maybe), for a half an hour or so. Freaked me out for like the first fifteen minutes. Since then I haven't been worried as much.