How do you lure an octopus out of a crevice?
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diverrex
Contributor
I vote for leaving them alone. If they are already out great enjoy them at the appropriate distance, if not leave them alone.
Allison Finch
Contributor
My sister had a funny octo story....
She took a can of sardines down to lure an octo out of his hole. She opened the can just enough to let the scent out. She placed it just out of reach of the octo, placed one of her strobes on the sand for some backlight and waited. The octo kept reaching for the can, but couldn't quite get it. It sat and thought for a bit. Suddenly two arms reached out, grabbed her strobe and started dragging it into the hole. My sister freaked, grabbed the strobe and started having a tug of war. Unknown to her, two other arms, taking advantage of her "distraction" reached out, grabbed the can, dragged it into the hole. Once the can was safely tucked into the hole, the octo let go of the strobe.
Once my sister realized how she had just been outwitted by a mollusk, she wasted several hundred pounds of air laughing at the whole incident.
She took a can of sardines down to lure an octo out of his hole. She opened the can just enough to let the scent out. She placed it just out of reach of the octo, placed one of her strobes on the sand for some backlight and waited. The octo kept reaching for the can, but couldn't quite get it. It sat and thought for a bit. Suddenly two arms reached out, grabbed her strobe and started dragging it into the hole. My sister freaked, grabbed the strobe and started having a tug of war. Unknown to her, two other arms, taking advantage of her "distraction" reached out, grabbed the can, dragged it into the hole. Once the can was safely tucked into the hole, the octo let go of the strobe.
Once my sister realized how she had just been outwitted by a mollusk, she wasted several hundred pounds of air laughing at the whole incident.
Allison... that is a GREAT story! I love it.
Years (OK, it was decades) ago when I started diving SoCal, I was told a story about a diver who grabbed an octopus and stuffed it down the back of his wetsuit. The story went on tio say the octopus bit through the diver's spinal cord and apparently killed him. I have no knowledge of the veracity of the story, but it did make me think about touching octopuses (and I do like to eat them, a taste acquired when I was in Greece).
Years (OK, it was decades) ago when I started diving SoCal, I was told a story about a diver who grabbed an octopus and stuffed it down the back of his wetsuit. The story went on tio say the octopus bit through the diver's spinal cord and apparently killed him. I have no knowledge of the veracity of the story, but it did make me think about touching octopuses (and I do like to eat them, a taste acquired when I was in Greece).
they are smart & curious .. a tale told by my instructor .. while diving he saw one up ahead watching him and saw it duck down, he ducked down and waited .. octopus stretched up to see where he went, he peeked back up and octo ducked down .. this was repeated a few times and then he stayed down .. the octo came over to see WTH was going on with this strange bobbing creature :-D
another of his stories .. guy with camera wouldn't leave one alone .. octo grabbed his mask off, then took his regulator .. he kept messing with it and it then jammed a tentacle in each of the guys ears and I think blowing out his eardrums? or at least causing him much pain ..
I think leaving everything alone is a good idea, but if it/they come around to see whats up, then I think respectful greeting and exploration is OK
another of his stories .. guy with camera wouldn't leave one alone .. octo grabbed his mask off, then took his regulator .. he kept messing with it and it then jammed a tentacle in each of the guys ears and I think blowing out his eardrums? or at least causing him much pain ..
I think leaving everything alone is a good idea, but if it/they come around to see whats up, then I think respectful greeting and exploration is OK
Another vote in favor of leaving them alone.
If you want to see octopus out and around, dive at night. I'm a firm believer in not molesting the critters (I confess to having touched the shell of a turtle, but I think it was a bad idea and won't do it again). Firm enough that, while looking into dive ops in Hawaii, I eliminated one possibility from my list simply because their web site features a video of said op molesting an octopus to the point of multiple inkings.
I also have a video of my wife and I with a school of angels rubbing up against us. That was very cool. I have no idea why they did it, but it was their choice, not mine.
If you want to see octopus out and around, dive at night. I'm a firm believer in not molesting the critters (I confess to having touched the shell of a turtle, but I think it was a bad idea and won't do it again). Firm enough that, while looking into dive ops in Hawaii, I eliminated one possibility from my list simply because their web site features a video of said op molesting an octopus to the point of multiple inkings.
I also have a video of my wife and I with a school of angels rubbing up against us. That was very cool. I have no idea why they did it, but it was their choice, not mine.
While planning my first trip to Hawaii I checked out various dive ops. Sea Paradise offered a video tape for $19.95 which would be free if you went with them. When I received the video I was shocked to see the DM grab an octopus and make it ink several times while blocking its escape. They also had divers pulling an eel out of its den and holding it so they could feel it trying to swim through their grasp. Needless to say, I went with another shop and sent Sea Paradise a not-so-nice letter.
There is too much to see and study in our local reefs to feel a need to harass anything.
There is too much to see and study in our local reefs to feel a need to harass anything.
Beatlejuice
Contributor
If people want to play with an octopus, they could always look for this friendly little guy:
I was diving on a wreck in B.C. with a buddy and his wife. I dropped down side of the wreck and then stayed (I thought) on the deck. Later I saw his light coming down through a hole vertically and since I was near a cut out on the side of the ship I shined my light in (as a greeting).
When I got back on the deck he was very excited and was trying to tell us about something. I just laughed to myself and thought that my light must have startled him or something.
When we got out of the water I found out that he had dropped down that hatch and at a certain point a hidden octo had wrapped several arms around him and several other arms to the structure of the ship. He was stunned, didn't resist and in a minute the octo let go.
I guess the point of this story is that if you are going to touch an octo at least do it when you aren't in an overhead environment
When I got back on the deck he was very excited and was trying to tell us about something. I just laughed to myself and thought that my light must have startled him or something.
When we got out of the water I found out that he had dropped down that hatch and at a certain point a hidden octo had wrapped several arms around him and several other arms to the structure of the ship. He was stunned, didn't resist and in a minute the octo let go.
I guess the point of this story is that if you are going to touch an octo at least do it when you aren't in an overhead environment
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