Fish friend the first
January 10, 2010
In the middle of a barren, whitesand seabottom I find an anchor. It's been sleeping there in the crystal water for a long time; its grown green with the plants that sway gently in the undersea current. A few tiny fishes swim around the anchor, no bigger than my pinkie.
And one big fish.
It's as big as my forearm; brown with spikes on its topfin and tan spots. It has big, rolling eyes and chocolate, rose petal forefins. When it flaps its rose petals from back to front to stay still, it looks like it's waving little cartoon fists at me. It huddles close to the anchor oasis.
Fish live on the outside of their homes.
It likes me. I dive down deep and it comes within inches of my face, rolls its eyes and shakes its little fist fins. After some time, I begin to swim away. It follows me several yards then stops, afraid to leave its home.
Don't leave yet.
And so I return, and we spend more time together. Just ogling, mostly.
Tags for this piece: costa rica fish swimming diving