Close encounters of the 8-armed kind :)

[Michelle!]

So, in light of my experience today, I'd love to hear about other divers' fantastic experiences with octopus.

Today, at Henderson, this (hair-raisingly large) octopus decide to come out of his den and greet me in person. I was more than a little intimidated as a lone tentacled-arm was extended towards me, in what I could only interpret as an invitation to tango (or maybe mambo). Jilted that I was disinclined to acquiesce to his demands, he deflated in a huff, retreating into his cave.

What are some of your exciting encounters??

~Michelle!

 

[vjanelle]

Porteau Octopus on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This is as close as I got to one

 

[TSandM]

I'm not from Western Canada, but nearby

One of the best dives of my life so far was a night training dive I did with three friends. Training, so of course, no one had a camera . . . We had gone down and done some skills, and then decided to cruise and sightsee a bit before ending the dive. We went to the wreck of a small sailboat, which lies upside-down on its deck in the silt, in about 35 feet of water. It's a well known haunt for GPOs, so we always look under the hull for them. My buddy was shining his light into the space, and I looked and thought, "Hmm, that's a weird looking lumpy area -- is some of that an octopus?" And shortly thereafter, "OMG, it's ALL octopus!" It was a huge one, and just about that time, it decided that four HID lights shining into its bedroom were one to many, and it started to leave.

Out it came through a hole in the hull, RIGHT UNDERNEATH ME. It stopped there, tentacles spread out and wider than my outstretched arms, and glared up at me. I was only about three feet above it, and actually a tiny touch nervous about how easily it could reach up and grab me, were it so inclined. But at the same time, I was tremendously excited, and bouncing up and down in the water and squeaking through my regulator, while I pointed to the octo with both hands (as though ANY of my companions would have failed to see this enormous animal!)

It sat there for three or four minutes, before heaving what I think was the octopus equivalent of a disgusted sigh and oozing off downslope into the dark.

When my head broke the surface, 20 minutes later, the first thing I said was, "Did you see that OCTOPUS???!!!!"

It still ranks up there in my very best dives.

 

[DaleC]

I'm not from Western Canada, but nearby

We will bestow honourary Western Canadian status on you Lynne... After all Canada will one day annex the PNW anyways
All part of our diabolical plot to take over the world by nefarious diplomatic means.

 

[mustang_5l]

We saw 4 or 5 up at porteau cove last week. BTW - Try to avoid poking them with sticks, they don't like it lol!

 

[CapitanBlack]

Porteau Octopus on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This is as close as I got to one

A huge buddy who live under the dock?
This is my fewweeksoldcatch...

 

[sea nmf]

Again, this wasn't western Canada but in Puget Sound. No cameras, of course.

We had gone the length of the wall, and I was cold, so I told my buddy I was going back toward the boat. I came upon two GPOs fighting. It was a National Geographic moment, I tell you!

I forgot about being cold and signalled my buddy with my light and we just floated there watching until one of them inked and jetted away.

My buddy says there was a 3rd on under the two fighting. Maybe a mating struggle?

Anyway, best GPO moment I've ever had.