7 replies to this topic

[Dive_Girl]

I'm proud to dive in waters that are home to a VERY cool invertebrate - THE GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS.

The GPO (Octopus dofleini) is the largest of all octopus species reported to grow as large as 27-33' (that's right FEET folks), from arm tip to tip. How big is that exactly? As I was describing to one of my classes the other day, take a look at the Olympic size swimming pool we are about to get into. Now imagine about half that pool being taken up by a GPO that happens to be stretching itself out...OK then, who's ready to dive!?

There are so many interesting Octopus facts out there online, with a few linked below:

Absolute Astronomy Encyclopedia - Octopus (I have no idea why an Astronomy page has an Octopus fact page, but it's got lots of info!!)
Alaska Pacific University Marine Biology - Giant Octopus: Fact Sheet
National Geographic Kids - Wizards of the Sea
Video Footage of an Octopus showing its Camouflage skills! (this has circulated before, but still interesting to watch!)

And I post photos of two beauties that I have encountered in the past. The red/purple one was experienced by one of my Open Water classes on a wall at about 35 fsw. In its curled up state it was still 4'. The white one, was a beautiful female that I had seen a couple times before on the site (75 fsw) aerating her eggs. Her den was bare indicating the eggs had hatched and she was in her final phase of life. I stayed with her the entire dive.

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[drbill]

My favorite invertebrate? Why would any of those spineless globs of flesh be a favorite of a manly man like me (although Arnold would probably refer to me as a girly man because I'm such a left-leaning liberal "kelp hugger").

Okay, so our octopusses aren't as incredible as yours. Their range of behavior does make them incredible to watch. Wait, maybe it is the mantis shrimp that would be my favorite- I rarely see them on dives and they are a real trick to photograph because they are so skittish. Or the solitary cup corals which are small and innocuous but incredibly beautiful when you look at them up close and person. Well, then there are the nudibranchs whose mating habits (in William Wrigley Jr.'s immortal words "Double your pleasure, double your fun.") are so intriguing, especially the lion nudibranch (Melibe leonina). Wait, maybe the sea pansy (Renilla koellikeri) because of its communal feeding behavior and bioluminescence. Oops, I can't forget the Anthopleura anemones whose cloned colonies beat the hell out of one another with masses of nematocysts when they meet. Or the beautiful gorgonians at Sea Fan Grotto. Then there are the lobster that are fun to watch... and even more fun to eat.

Oops, maybe it is me that is spineless and indecisive... I can't make up my mind.

[ScubaHawk]

When I read the title of the thread I thought it was going to be about politicians.
Love the octopus! Did I tell anyone I found my first one in Grenada?
I have a large back piece tattoo planed of a blue ringed octopus - but with two girls graduating high school (one home-coming queen - the other prom-queen) and deposits for dive trips, the tattoo has been put on the back burner.

[b3tty]

I'll have to say Conch. Not many invertebrates that that look really pretty and taste great deep fried.

[GentDiver]

I would love to see a cuttlefish one day. I think they are so cool.

Scott

:lam:

[AliKat]

All the senior military officers I see around here

I dove with a cuddlefish once in Oki (I have some pretty good pics somewhere). He/she was pretty cool...and getting so mad at me for all the pics I was taking, turned the prettiest bright neon purple..

[drbill]

with two girls graduating high school (one home-coming queen - the other prom-queen)

Wow, ScubaHawk... your wife must have REALLY good genes! Just teasing ya.

As for cuttlefish, they truly are interesting critters. Unfortunately I have to travel to see them (nothing wrong with that).

[peterbj7]

For me it has to be the giant squid, though I have in mind some other people I'd like to do the actual diving.