Hello!

When I lived in Maui, Hawaii I shot underwater video for a living. I had just startde my dive at Molokini Crater when I came upon an octopus acting very strangely. He was flashing his colors at me and doing puffy displays. Considering it was daytime, highly unusual behavior! Anyway, I followed him around for awhile and I got the impression he was trying to distract me from something. Sure enough, after searching surrounding coral alcoves I found the female. She was diligently guarding her eggs. I could see them behind her. I knew not to disturb her too much due to stress and the like. I just watched her for awhile until she took me for less of a threat. Then I played with one of her tentacles and she siphoned a little water at me. No inking, no undue stress to her I promise! Anyway, I was so intrigued with her that stopped paying attention to my surroundings. When I did happen to glance up; I noticed a 4 foot yellow margin moray eel heading straight for my face. I kid you not, he was only 3-4 feet away and had smelled the octopus. Of course, as blind as an eel is he attacks the largest thing...ME! I couldn't do anything but freeze and think okay, its gonna finally happen!!! I have always feared eel bites, not the animal itself. I swear to you that all this is true and I will never forget it. Here is where it gets really interesting... As the eel was closing in for the attack the male octopus came straight at the eel. All I could see next was an ink cloud. When the cloud cleared, the eel had an octopus tentacle wrapped twice around his mouth and was struggling to open his jaws. Now, I was very angry at the eel at this point and had recovered myself enough to counterattack. Yep, I went after the eel with my video housing. I thought that he had killed the male. After reviewing the video footage; I can happily say the male octopus was only a tentacle worse for the wear. Now, I know that the male was defending the female, not me. However; the effect was the same. He save my face; literally. Amazing and long winded story but it is all th truth. I had never heard of any continued relationship between male and female after breeding; but this was obviously the case. The male had no other reason to do what he did. He sacrificed his tentacle to distract the eel and save his female and the eggs. I had already respected the octopus but this put things on a whole other level.

Hope it wasn't too long and boring but it was one of those moments in your life that is remembered forever.
