Over one hundred species of moray eels live among rocks and corals off the coasts of British Columbia, Canada, south to Mexico, all along the Atlantic coast of North America, as well as parts of Europe.
These eels generally do not exceed a length of five feet. Looking at you with their mouths open showing many long, razor-sharp teeth, they can frighten the bravest of men if they are not aware that moray eels aren't usually a threat, but some can be dangerous and aggressive. Their mouths are always open to breathe.
Moray eels are usually vividly marked or colored. They are an unusual combination of speckled, striped, and freckled, with a large range of colors—chocolate brown, off white, black, sandy yellow, scarlet and blue. One found off the coast of Florida is the green moray—a long, thin, round-bodied variety. Another is well-named speckled, for its whole body is covered with small white dots on a dark background.
Other unusual ones include a brown and white one named slender and another called ribbon, because its body is about the size and shape of a huge snake. It is primarily blue, but its head and a few other parts are orange. Still another, looking much like the speckled but in lighter white and brown shades, is known as the dragon.
Unless threatened or frightened, moray eels usually are not aggressive towards divers who are careful not to get too close or frighten them. One diver tells of a frighteningly close call when trying to spear one in the Pacific Ocean. The moray was coming too fast for him and swam right at him with its mouth wide open. He knew he couldn't outswim it, but surprisingly it didn't attack. Another diver accidentally disturbed a hidden one when swimming around a sunken ship, and his hand reached into an opening that happened to be the home of a small moray. Immediately one of his fingers was caught in its mouth, feeling like it was grabbed by a pair of pliers with needle points. The eel soon withdrew, but not before the sharp teeth left painful cuts the entire length of his finger. A wise swimmer knows that when a moray comes his way with its wide-open mouth showing those long, sharp teeth, it's time to get away.
The opening Bible verses remind us that many people familiar with ocean waters have been impressed with the wonders of God's creation. Another verse tells us, “Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made ... the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all” (Nehemiah 9:66Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. (Nehemiah 9:6)).
Do you know Him as more than the God of creation? If you have accepted His beloved Son as your Saviour, He is also your Father.
ML-02/03/2008