Northwest Dive Club

My name is Greg and I am NOT an octoholic.
Sure, I look at 'em, sometimes for a long time.
And take pictures whenever I come across one, even though I really don't need another shot of that same old pose.
Maybe I suck a little extra air when I see a really big one, but it don't mean nuthin.
And yes, I still tell stories about Oscar and Sushi, two pet (correction: research animal) red octos I had many years ago.

But I can walk away from 'em anytime.

I'm not an octoholic.

I love it, Greg. Like a client told me yesterday about men and health issues: "If you know you have it, deny it. If you don't know you have it, you don't have it."

-Ben

I do love octos:

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I also love itty bitty sea stars and nudibranchs and any other critters I can find, so I suppose rather than an octo-holic, I'm a critter-holic.

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Dave, I'm so glad to hear somebody ELSE finds those little white starfish fascinating! I thought I was alone in that.

Zen Diver 2 wrote:Here's some of my faves...

Love those last two ... you can almost hear it snoring ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I also love the tiny Seastars.. and the nudis.. can't help but love the nudis.

Octos are just too cool.... Nothing compares to getting checked out by an octo.

Scubagirl45 wrote:I love octos (I'm not ashamed to admit it!). And I don't want to know about the 12-step program to "cure" the addiction. I have seen them in Alaska, and I am looking forward to my first encounter here in the lower 48. I hope I don't have to wait long!

The little red octos are at lots of sites; we've found them at Titlow, Redondo, Three Tree North, Harper's Ferry, Les Davis, and a couple of others that I can't remember right now. We've found Giant Pacifics at Titlow, Cove 2, Saltwater State Park, a couple of places in Hood Canal. Spread out your dive sites and you should have pretty good odds. For the little ones, take it really slow, have a light and check in and under most anything you come across especially during the day. I'm probably not telling you anything you don't already know Good hunting!

Several years ago, my husband and I were diving with a friend off Hat Island. We came across a HUGE GPO in the open. It wasn't bothered by us in the least and just hung out for a while. I finally motioned for my husband to pet it. He removed a glove and did just that, actually pet the thing on the head BETWEEN the eyes. Then each of us took a turn petting this monster. I was amazing! Awesome! He didn't seem bothered at all, didn't change colors or attempt to get away from us......

After this memorable experience, we poked around a little more and found the reason this guy didn't leave us.....another GPO under a steel plate looking in need of some love.....

Truly an awesome time.

When they're out in the open they are a lot of fun to watch. I've seen a few small ones out in the open at Mukilteo, both on the park side, and on the T-dock side.





Jake

Good thread. Here are some of my favorite octo encounters:

1) Watching a huge (9'?) octo hunting Zee's Reef -- It was amazing to watch its tentacles slithering and exploring across the reef. Every creature in its path was in a panic. Gunnels were flying out, shrimp were bolting, scallops chattering, ahhh!!

2) Super-friendly octo encounter at Dillon Rock, near Port Hardy Canada -- After a great dive where we'd already seen two shy octos out in the open, we came across a super-friendly six footer. This was in probably 15-20 feet of water, up on the purple urchin fields. The sunlight was shining down on it and it had a beautiful ruby red purplish color. The most amazing thing is it approached me as I was hailing my friend with a camera. Luckily I was wearing wet gloves which I promptly removed. He was perched up in a 'tall' pose, looking me directly in the eye. He came up and 'shook' my hand, and in turn wrapped another arm around the back of my head and wrapped it around the top.

3) Wrestling octos -- On a night dive several years ago I saw 4 small octos in a 'wrestling' match (I've seen several pairs of small octos wrestling since then too). These guys move fast when they want to. I think i saw one joust an arm under another to mate.

4) Octo and Seal -- in my first year of diving, a friend and I were very excited to see a small octo out in the open on a night dive. We were watching it swim when suddenly, out of the darkness came a harbor seal and gobbled it up in 2-3 bites like the octo was a chew toy. We couldn't believe it.

5) Mating octos -- saw a large waiting male in front of a female den in Hood Canal. It was an odd experience, he didn't flinch at our presence

6) Contortionist octo -- one time we came across an 2' octo out in the open who would have preferred to have been left alone. It perched itself up near some plumose anemones, countouring its body around them, yet not touching them. As we approached it from one side, it would circle the anemones, perfectly maintaing a minimal safe distance around the anemones (~1 inch). Get a little closer and it would repeat.

7) octo eating crab -- saw a 2' octo with a fresh crab catch (I think it was a kelp crab) out in the open. Boy it didn't like us, I think he thought we were trying to steal his meal.

8) Small octo when snorkelling with my 4 yo son in Hawaii. Hey, pretty cool for a 4 year old to see, eh?

Ocotos are pretty much the coolest thing ever. If a girl doesn't have octos in her life...then she has got nothin!

I bet this guy doesn't like Octos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNaRbh2d ... re=related

sheahanmcculla wrote:I bet this guy doesn't like Octos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNaRbh2d ... re=related

He had it coming! I've seen the uncut version of that footage, and he was definitely asking for it.

Here's my fav. Octo decides to inspect ROV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LHTWmaOKpg

airsix wrote:He had it coming! I've seen the uncut version of that footage, and he was definitely asking for it.

what did he do to the octo to provoke it?

spatman wrote:

airsix wrote:He had it coming! I've seen the uncut version of that footage, and he was definitely asking for it.

what did he do to the octo to provoke it?

I'm trying to remember...
The den was in a wreck of some sort. The den didn't look too deep and if I remember right the guy literally stuck his head into it. If the head of some monster filled my doorway I'd go ape too.

-Ben

Yeah, I've seen the video too. He was screwing with it and totally had it coming. What I love is that while his mask and reg are being ripped off, the camera man simply keeps rolling... seems a little help from a buddy would have really paid off there.

Richard Jack also has an octopus story if I remember correctly!

Reminds me of several scenes from Alien. Is that guy gonna have a little critter bursting out of his chest soon???????