I learned very early on that some varieties of fish in this part of the Caribbean are better to eat than others. Horse-eye Cavali was to be avoided because the meat could be wormy, certain types of red fish were “skin-up fish” (meaning they were so tough they curled up when cooked), but the one to avoid most of all were barracudas weighing more than 10 pounds, because they could be contaminated by the dreaded ciguatera.
Ciguatera fish poisoning is no joking matter. Smaller reef fish become contaminated by eating the ciguatera toxin, made by organisms called dinoflagellates that breed on different kinds of algae. When the barracuda feeds on the small fish that have been eating the dinoflagellates they become contaminated too, and while the toxin doesn’t harm the fish it is quite poisonous to humans. The areas of concern for such poisoning are the Caribbean Sea, Hawaii and coastal South America.
There is no antidote for Ciguatera poisoning. Severe cases require hospitalization for intravenous fluids due to dehydration. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, rash, muscle pain, numbness, abdominal pain and dizziness. In other words, it’s very unpleasant! In really severe cases paralysis and even death may occur, although it’s rare for ciguatera to be fatal.
Mac always told me to avoid buying any barracuda longer than three feet, because the older and bigger fish have had a chance to eat more reef fish, which would result in an accumulation of the poison. He also told me that the older the fish, the further it has been able to swim, and since the dinoflagellates supposedly don’t grow on the reefs in this part of the Caribbean that all made perfect sense to me. I therefore always adhered to the “no-longer-than-three-feet-and-no-heavier-than-ten-pounds” rule, and to this day have enjoyed eating delicious barracuda without getting sick. I DO like to “know” my fish though; buying it myself is one thing as I know what I am getting, ordering it from a menu other than my own has often given me pause for thought. The wait staff at restaurants must find me peculiar when I ask about the length and weight of their catch-of-the-day barracuda, but I DO have my reasons for asking!
A few years after Mac and I opened the Pizzeria, many people from the village of Owia on the mainland got seriously sick after eating a contaminated barracuda. It was a large one, over 30 pounds, and because of its size well over 120 people had at least a TASTE of the fish. Evidently over 100 people suffered dehydration badly enough that they had to be hospitalized, and although no-one died, they were very, very sick with ciguatera poisoning.
I had heard that silver, when placed between the skin and the flesh of a barracuda, will turn black if the fish is contaminated. Mac pooh-poohed the notion, calling the theory an old-wive’s tale, and I figured he was probably right. One day a fishing canoe pulled up in front of the Pizzeria, and I went to see what the men had to offer. Inside the boat, silver scales gleaming, was a very long barracuda. Shaking my head doubtfully, I asked how much it weighed. When the scale passed 11 pounds I passed as well, knowing it was too long and too heavy to be put on a pizza at Mac’s. Struck by a thought, I asked for a knife and made a slit between the skin and flesh, then slipped a silver turtle I wore on a chain around my neck into the opening. That silver turtle turned a dark grey immediately!
I thought we were working on an antidote for ciguatera over twenty years now the late Kerwin Morris was involved in this
I haven’t heard of any success in that department….
I really enjoy the personalized stories. And the info on the toxin was a lijfe saver. Keep up the entertaining stories. My prayers and condolences go out to you for your loss FCG
I surely hope you’ll be able to tell me about Klaus and Plumbelly. In the mid seventies I met Klaus in Europe. Tall and lanky, he slipped down into plumbelly like a comfortable pair of bedroom slippers. I was from Hawaii, he from Germany. We ran into each other from Greece to Spain, then finally in Gibraltar where we waited for favorable weather to head to the Canaries. I actually towed him out of Gibraltar with some heavy monofilament fishing line he used for fishing. Thirty miles out i cast him off. He attached a bag to the painter I had eased out to him, and in it was a thank you note for all the meals and showers i insisted he have as our guest aboard the C&C 61 called KETCH whenever we saw him.
We had talked about a reunion on Bequia where he would be celebrating Bequia’s first Solo Navigators home coming, but unfortunately, I had to meet the owner of my boat elsewhere. 46 years have passed, and I often think about Klaus. I think you might be the one to enlighten me .
Your loss brought a tear to my eye. It was heart wrenching to read and I sincerely hope the passing time will be good to you, and that your fond memories will outlast what you are now going through.
Aloha Nui Loa, Ken Beggs, SV “Ketch”
Hi Ken – Klaus was a dear friend, last time I saw him with all his faculties he was living in a little motor home on his friend Kenny’s property in Vermont. He published a beautiful book about horses but I can’t recall the name of it. I saw him once again after Mac had passed away, he asked to come to the house and arrived with a camera and notebook. He was aware that his memory was fading, and took pictures of Nik and me, carefully recording it in the notebook. He was a lovely man.