Sleeping Wolf Eels?

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:50 pm

We dove Day Island Wall today. Splashed about 10 AM, dropped over the edge of the wall and saw this guy on the bottom of the wall at about 75fsw.

<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/4546 ... 61f1ec.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="P4100002"></a>

He was laying on his side, not moving, and at first I thought he might be dead or injured. We watched him while we descended toward him and he was not moving. After I snapped a couple of shots he reacted to our lights and came upright. If it was a night dive I would have sworn he was sleeping!

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As we headed back up to the top of the wall he turned around and "followed" us back up and went into a den on the wall, and sat there apparently happy and healthy as can be.

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I've seen wolf eels on their side before in dens, but never out in the open. He was a mature guy, so I suppose he could have just "fallen asleep" out in the open?? Old guy taking a nap maybe? Went for a stroll and forgot what he was doing? Wolf Eel with Alzheimer's? ](*,) Strange... at least to me.

I found at least one other of the 4 or 5 wolf eels that we saw on the wall on it's side, looking for all the world like it was taking a nap.

<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/198/4546 ... 995081.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="P4100009"></a>

peo · Post by **peo** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:35 pm

Eerie...

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:26 pm

Maybe it was a late night out and he passed out on his porch.

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:15 am

Calvin wrote:Maybe it was a late night out and he passed out on his porch.

Sure looked like it! Come to think of it, wolf eels really look like they've had a hard life as they get older...

do you think? Nah....?

Of course, if I was chewing on sea urchins for most of my life I'd be tempted...

Nah....?

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:13 am

It was very strange... he was 100% exposed laying on his side on a shelf. We could see him from head to tail - approx 7' long with a large head. He was not bothered by my HID but began to stir after a few camera flashes. We hung out with him for a bit then we headed back up the wall to the dens and the other wolfeels. He followed us up swimming between us and eventually settled into a vacant den... evidently happy as can be.

There were several other wolfies, one of which was also lounging on its side.

It was a great dive... any dive where you see wolfeels is a great dive.

jeff98208 · Post by **jeff98208** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:48 am

nice. but i have yet to see wolf eels outside of pictures though

jeff would some time....

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:21 am

All you need to do is come to Day Island next time the currents are favorable!

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:22 pm

jeff98208 wrote:nice. but i have yet to see wolf eels outside of pictures though jeff would some time....

Yeah, the best way to do DIW is to arm twist someone into taking you with them on a dive. Helps to have a guide, though Bassman and I "winged it" on our first dive many moons ago... kicked against a moderate current, hit the top of the wall, snapped a shot of a wolf eel, then the world literally went sideways with the typical Narrows current....

](*,) NOT pleasant. We grabbed anything we could on the floor to hold on while we made it back to the shallows, winded and shaken, but OK. DIW is a fantastic dive site, but like many PNW Dive Sites it will kick your butt and is very unforgiving if you dont' plan it well or dive it from a live boat with someone to follow your bubbles.

The wolfies theselves are quite docile, and though they look pretty fearsome are among some of our "gentler" species as long as they are treated with intelligence and respect.

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:32 pm

Calvin wrote:Maybe it was a late night out and he passed out on his porch.

No need to bring your personal life into a straighforward discussion of marine biology, Calvin.

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:10 pm

Nailer99 wrote:
Calvin wrote:Maybe it was a late night out and he passed out on his porch.
No need to bring your personal life into a straighforward discussion of marine biology, Calvin.