Last Week I invited guest bloggers to tell us about people in the Virgin Islands.  this is one from Heather.

The Virgin Islands are chock full of people from assorted backgrounds with fascinating stories and unique lifestyles.  I made a new friend last week where I work, and thought her family’s story would be a fun one to pass along.

Rebecca, her husband, and their five (yes, five!) school-aged children live aboard a 40′ sailboat moored near Honeymoon Beach on Water Island.  Water Island, for those who don’t know, is the littlest of the USVI, and it lies just south of St. Thomas, readily accessible by private boat or a public ferry from Crown Bay Marina on St. Thomas.

Rebecca related the following live-aboard tale to me during a break in our work routine the other day.  I told her I was looking for a few VI anecdotes to blog about, and she suggested I write about George, her family’s pet barracuda . . . a four and half foot monster.  I gaped in disbelief.

“You mean to tell me that your family has a “pet” barracuda in an aquarium on your sailboat?”  I asked.

Rebecca laughed, “No, he hangs out in the shade of the shadow cast by the boat where it’s cool,”  she explained.  “My kids started telling me about this huge ‘cuda who lived under the boat, and the littler ones were terrified to get in the water.  I have seen him swimming   towards the swim platform near the beach, and his dorsal fin actually leaves a wake at the surface of the water.  He’s that big!  So, we named him George, and my little ones aren’t so scared anymore.”

Here’s a quick note on barracuda:  their reputation as vicious and dangerous fish is largely undeserved, but they can get very large, like George, they have lots of sharp teeth, and they swim very fast, so people tend to be scared of them.  Barracuda can be attracted to shiny objects in the water because they are curious fish, so I have heard tales of people who have lost fingers because they didn’t take off their rings before taking a dip.  My own experience is that they will stay in a guarded underwater territory, will watch you warily if you swim nearby, but are pretty much content to leave you alone, swimming off in a silvery flash if startled.  I wouldn’t recommend provoking one, but seeing one if you are snorkeling does not mean you are in danger and should get out of the water.

After giving this “pet story” some thought, I came to the conclusion that a barracuda just might be the ideal pet for a family of seven living aboard a sailboat.  Think about it:  it’s very low-cost (no food, vet bills, or toys), it doesn’t leave fur all over the sofa, take up valuable living space, and provides the added benefit of being a deterrent to the would-be thieves, who sometimes prey on live-aboard boaters in our waters.

So, I like the idea of Rebecca’s family pet, George.  But if she ever invites me over for a swim, I don’t think I’ll try to pet him.  And I’ll leave my jewelery at home.