How do you lure an octopus out of a crevice?

[Allison Finch]

I woke up this thread to watch the video of the guide abusing the octo. Unfortunately it is now private and won't show. Danggit!!

 

[bowlofpetunias]

There is hope that someone got the message then

 

[Dirty-Dog]

There is hope that someone got the message then

You'd like to think so, at any rate.
Perhaps the person in question (who is a regular poster here on SB) would like to chime in and tell us why they made the video private, and what their opinion is, now, on the molestation of sea creatures?

 

[Hatul]

Octopi are, to me, the coolest thing in Socal waters...but I rarely get to see one. Last time I was at Crescent Bay I saw a fairly large one in a crevice. I thought about reaching in there to pull it out, but I didn't want to injure it or get my finger bit off by it's octo-beak so I just let it be. So is there a trick, or some form of food you can bring along on a dive, to lure them out?

You don't. Just look, take photos, and leave it alone.
Adam

 

[vshearer]

Put a photo of Ringo Starr in front of the hole.

 

[ProLobster]

I was finishing a Catalina dive some time back, and someone had a freshly-taken video of an octopus molesting another diver earlier that dive. Might have been on the Mr. C or Bottom Scratcher. Anyhow, the diver approached slowly to check the octo out, and rather than retreating into its lair, the octo rushed out and crawled up the divers arm, and proceeded to manhandle the diver. After tugging at his mask and regulator hoses, the octopus went for the 1st stage, and began messing with the tank's air valve! The diver managed to gently pull the octo off and it swam away, but not before the octopus made an example of why you shouldn't mess with the wildlife.

 

[TSandM]

Giant Pacific Octopuses like crabs; if they're in the mood to interact, they'll often reach out and take one, if a diver puts it nearby. They also seem to have a fondness for the boltsnaps on the back of backup lights -- but beware, you may go home without your light!

My biggest octopus interaction event was taking Mo2vation and HBDiveGirl on a charter boat trip here in the Sound. We started the dive, and found a wolf eel den just below the buoy line. While looking at him, we failed to notice a GPO coming down the slope. When he saw us, he tried to get in the wolf eel den, and was aggressively repelled by the occupant. He retreated to sulk right on the bottom of the slope leading to the little wall, and Claudette swam up to have a look at him. The next thing I knew, she was COVERED in octopus -- he had arms on her mask and on her regulator, as well as arms on her body. Although I know she's an experienced diver and not given to anxiety, I had no idea what being enveloped in cephalopod was doing to her mental state, or how she'd react to having her regulator yanked out of her mouth. So I swam up and began pulling arms off her -- there are a LOT of arms, and when you're in that situation, I swear there are a hundred or more, because each one you pull off is promptly replaced. But eventually, he gave up and let go of her, and she was none the worse for wear, and came home with a unique PNW diving tale to tell!

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Remind you of the drivein back in High School?