Great Barracuda

Photo: Christian Amador Da Silva · © all rights reserved

Massive schools form here in the nutrient-rich Atlantic upwelling, often numbering in the hundreds and spiraling in dense columns known as tornados. They are apex visual predators, using the clear mid-water column above the reef to coordinate ambushes on baitfish schools. Divers often find themselves encircled by the school, which will hold position curiously before dissolving into open water.