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Hello All... Just wanted to thank everyone for recognizing the octopus for the intelligent and amazing animals they are. I have been a longtime fan of these wonderful creatures... I even had one in the wild save me from bodily harm!!!
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Would love to hear how the octo saved you!!!
Carol
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- May 15, 2003
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to TONMO Octokai!Yea, tell us your story.
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Hum wonder how that happened. Why dont you 
! So we can go 
.
Jesse
! So we can go .Jesse
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. 
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. - Joined
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That was truly amazing! It's always good to hear good press on these magnificant sapiens of the sea! Did you happen to recognize the species. I am sure that we would all love to hear more of your dive adventures! 
Felix, El Gato!
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Wow, I wish I could have that experience. It probably didn't matter to the male that he lost an since he would dead pretty soon.
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WOW Thats an amazin story mate. Did you manage to kill the eel.
I hate eels with a passion. One of my favorite fishing spots (freshwater)has millions of the little nasty's hidin away, and when there in your swim you have to move or continue to get covered in smelly slime when fightin em off your hook!!
Dont suppose you have the video on digital to be able to post it do you?
I hate eels with a passion. One of my favorite fishing spots (freshwater)has millions of the little nasty's hidin away, and when there in your swim you have to move or continue to get covered in smelly slime when fightin em off your hook!!
Dont suppose you have the video on digital to be able to post it do you?
The species of the octopus I encountered was octopus cyanea or the daytime octopus. " He'e" is his hawaiian name. The video I have of the encounter is only the inking and unfortunately although its on dv I lack the profiency to share it!!! 
No... I didn't kill the eel although I really wanted to at the time. He did get bonked by aluminum housing several times before he escaped into a coral crevasse :x
No... I didn't kill the eel although I really wanted to at the time. He did get bonked by aluminum housing several times before he escaped into a coral crevasse :x
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octokai said:
I should have used that common sense thing people keep talking about.
I swear, I am not a dope!
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- Jul 24, 2003
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Good work fella!!
At least he got a shiner or black eye as some might say for his daftness!!!
Well if you manage to get your hands on the gismo's for video download what-ja-ma-call-it, Im sure all and sundrie here would be over the moon to see your vids!!!
Let me get a cushion, some hot chocolate an put me feet up if you could tell us another story about your dives. They sound well intresting!!
At least he got a shiner or black eye as some might say for his daftness!!!
Well if you manage to get your hands on the gismo's for video download what-ja-ma-call-it, Im sure all and sundrie here would be over the moon to see your vids!!!
Let me get a cushion, some hot chocolate an put me feet up if you could tell us another story about your dives. They sound well intresting!!
Nope, didn't think you were a dope at all!Although, I am a girl not a fellow!!
Hawaii had a lot of great adventures for me; I guess thats why I miss it so much
Another really cool adventure happened just outside Molokini Crater. We came across a 35 foot whaleshark
basking on the surface.I was able to actually get in the water with it. He was SO COOL!! My captain was hesitant to let "the girl" in the water to video tape it. So, I handed off my video camera to a guy and jumped in. It was my loophole! The best part was I was able to get hi8 mm footage of me riding on the back of him. His dorsal fin was up to my thigh; a good 2 1/2 to 3 feet. He was gorgeous grey blue with ridges and spots and stripes. He was very calm with the whole thing. He was so curious AND huge! But a gentle giant more whale than shark!
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- May 15, 2003
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, you are so lucky 
, I only saw a whale shark from a boat when I was about 9. Unfortunately we were not allowed to go down with it. Similar threads
