One more thing to think about when you’re looking down into that dark water. Holy mackeral- I didn;t think these things were real…
They love (sometimes inadvertantly) killing things in the ocean.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061012-shark-fin.html
Let me guess, giant squid is considered a “delicacy” in Japan.
They have some of the strangest appetites.
It’s the whales that I’m more concerned about since Japan has been economically blackmailing smaller countries to vote with them to renew whale hunting.
I remember seeing a photo in Newsweek when I was in college of a huge thing dragged up on the deck of a Japanese fishing trawler that looked hauntingly like a Pleseasaurus. They actually shot a decent photo of it and then… threw the carcase back in the ocean. Oooops.
Who needs sharks anyways … kidding of course
"They love (sometimes inadvertantly) killing things in the ocean. "
I just got back from diving the Great Barrier Reef not long ago. The Japanese tourists have developed a reputation as being absolutely the worst scuba divers visiting Australia. You see them touching things u/w, pulling on coral, etc. with absolutely no concern as to what ecological damage they may be doing.
Did you see anything cool there?
I dive as well and always find entertainment watching Japanese tourists trying to dive. Just watching them get into and out of the boat is funny…although I agree with you…touch everything and damage it…
THANK YOU TOM, Giant Squid have facinated me, for my whole life. I believed in there existince long before there was enough evidence to convice people. The main thing that conviced me was the quanity of small squid a whale would have to eat to sustain itself, is absurd.
And still to this day, most people think they are things of Jules Verne’s imagination.
To bad I am at work and can’t view the video. I cant wait to get home.
Some of the first uses of “Criter Cams” in the water, were attaching them to whales to try and capture video of Giant Squid. They knew the ate them from the sucker marks on the whales. Now by locating the feeding, hopefully some sub’s or unmanned submersibles will be able to get videos of them in there natural habitat. Wonder what depth they were fishing at? Im getting goosebumps as I type this.
Edit: I believe the Cincinati zoo has a model of one on a wall. (It was somewhere in Ohio anyhow).
did they really throw it over board or did they eat it after pronouncing it a delicacy?
"Did you see anything cool there? "
Sea turtles and reef sharks were the biggest things we saw. The reef sharks were circling us while on a night dive. A bit unnerving, but they were more curious than aggressive. Lots of cool smaller things on the reef. Saw a Lion fish and a sea snake, two animals you definately don’t want to touch. I was surprised at how shallow the inner reef was, most of the diving was 40-70 ft. Apparently you have to go out quite a bit (200 kms +) to get into the deeper water. As it was we were 60 kms off shore on a live aboard.
I actually seem to remember a fellow being bitten by a giant squid, perhaps in the Sea of Cortez- is that in Mexico?
Scary critters:
Don’t know if it’s true, but there is an eye witness account of some American WWII sailors floating in the water after their ship was torpedoed being taken by a giant squid. I read about it many years ago but can’t remember the details.
Also an account of one attacking a small fishing boat off the coast of Newfoundland. Apparently one of the crew cut off a tentacle with an axe and that was the proof of it happening.
That is cool. You and I have the same fins.
Here ya go Tom.
Maybe I’ll take up duathlons…
From the research that I have read and seen, giant squid rarely even come close to the surface. The giant squid may not be responsible for reported attacks on humans. But there are some species of squid that you wouldn’t want to be in the water with when they’re feeding. The Humboldt squid is big enough, strong enough, and aggressive enough to drag you under and kill you. They can be very violent and are not to be trifled with.
It was the Humboldt Squid that bit that fella in Mexico I saw on TV. Nasty bite. Apparently the thing has some weird pincers. Not good.
The stupid stuff that enters my mnd…
Squid have a nasty little beak that can rip up flesh. Looks somewhat like a parrot’s beak.