ALERT: Attempted Camera THEFT

[lundysd]

Okay it's time for all of us to have a serious conversation. We all know there is a problem in our dive community, but it seems like everyone just wants to sweep the issue under the rug. Well no more....

I'm talking, of course, about the disrespectful and downright rude behavior by our "friends," the giant pacific octopus. These beasts really do have a racket going on -- with one tentacle, they convince us they are beautiful, intelligent, and respected creatures, and with the other tentacle they rob us blind! Backup lights, gauges, cameras.... the list goes on and on. How long will we allow these merciless creatures to slink around in the darkness, only to emerge and rob us of our dive gear and our dignity?!?!

Well it's time to put a stop to that. I have placed below irrefutable evidence that GPOs are thieving, cunning, and conniving little (okay... enormous) hooligans, and I demand justice!!! Who will stand with me?



(Note: with the exception of a bent aluminum arm and a soiled undergarment, no cameras or divers or GPOs were harmed in the making of this post)

[Penopolypants]

Well, to be honest, if somebody stuck a Death Star through my front door and started flashing its annoying little lights at me while I was relaxing on the sofa, drinking a glass of wine, and watching Breaking Bad, I'd probably take their little toy away too until they learned to play nice with it.

Nice shots!

[lundysd]

a HA! Ladies and gentleman, we have found the first PAID INFORMANT of the cephalopods.... and it is none other than Ms. Penelope herself!!! What are they giving you P, your pick of the discarded dive gear?

Don't believe her lies.

[Edge]

I am with you, Scott! Now, how exactly are we going to get justice?

[Penopolypants]

a HA! Ladies and gentleman, we have found the first PAID INFORMANT of the cephalopods.... and it is none other than Ms. Penelope herself!!! What are they giving you P, your pick of the discarded dive gear?

Don't believe her lies.

SHHH! They'll know you know!!

They pay me in hugs, and nude photos of the Kracken.

[Furnari]

Steinbeck had it right in Cannery Row:

"Then the creeping murderer, the octopus, steals out, slowly, softly, moving like a gray mist, pretending now to be a bit of weed, now a rock, now a lump of decaying meat while its evil goat eyes watch coldly. It oozes and flows toward a feeding crab, and as it comes close its yellow eyes burn and its body turns rosy with the pulsing color of anticipation and rage. Then suddenly it runs lightly on the tips of its arms, as ferociously as a charging cat. It leaps savagely on the crab, there is a puff of black fluid, and the struggling mass is obscured in the sepia cloud while the octopus murders the crab."

Save the crabs (and cameras)- eat octopi

[spatman]

a HA! Ladies and gentleman, we have found the first PAID INFORMANT of the cephalopods.... and it is none other than Ms. Penelope herself!!! What are they giving you P, your pick of the discarded dive gear?

Don't believe her lies.

SHHH! They'll know you know!!

They pay me in hugs, and nude photos of the Kracken.

... and a promise of a Nikon D7000 with u/w housing.

[Tom Nic]

a HA! Ladies and gentleman, we have found the first PAID INFORMANT of the cephalopods.... and it is none other than Ms. Penelope herself!!! What are they giving you P, your pick of the discarded dive gear?

Don't believe her lies.

OCCUPY GPO DENS!!!! WE ARE THE 99%!!!

[markwilson]

perfect excuse for a club dive. Drag the offender out cook it up and have a pot luck.

[archaeofish]

a HA! Ladies and gentleman, we have found the first PAID INFORMANT of the cephalopods.... and it is none other than Ms. Penelope herself!!! What are they giving you P, your pick of the discarded dive gear?

Don't believe her lies.

OCCUPY GPO DENS!!!! WE ARE THE 99%!!!

Be careful. There are more of them than there are of us....

[gutholmj]

Don't be so fast to judge. They could be hapless stooges in the employ of a more sinister character hoping to get a "free" upgrade to his aging d100. Not that I'd know anything about that and I'll deny whatever octo confession you may be able to extract.

[Nwbrewer]

Nice shots! I see why he wanted to take the camera!

[April]

a HA! Ladies and gentleman, we have found the first PAID INFORMANT of the cephalopods.... and it is none other than Ms. Penelope herself!!! What are they giving you P, your pick of the discarded dive gear?

Don't believe her lies.

OCCUPY GPO DENS!!!! WE ARE THE 99%!!!

Be careful. There are more of them than there are of us....

LOL! I love it. I'm not really sure what they're protesting though...

[ljjames]

looks like a 'damn paparazzi! leave me alone!' move to me

[LCF]

Excuse me, sir. I have a complaint here, alleging invasion of privacy and harassment, and demanding that you relinquish all rights to the photographs, or pay royalties for their use, preferably in mackerel . . .

[Fishstiq]

Anyone else notice a theme here? It would seem we have been betrayed by one of our own. P-Pants, your subtle sneaky subterfuge has not gone unnoticed, and your nefarious plot has defiantly been noticed. Now all we have to be is what to know of her being where the accidental was of her to have it.

Well, to be honest, if somebody stuck a Death Star through my front door and started flashing its annoying little lights at me while I was relaxing on the sofa, drinking a glass of wine, and watching Breaking Bad, I'd probably take their little toy away too until they learned to play nice with it.

Nice shots!

That was so full of awesome! And I hope it was another octo that ended up as dinner, so that the smart ones like that can continue to reproduce. I, for one, would welcome our new cowboy octopus overlords.

[Joshua Smith]

looks like a 'damn paparazzi! leave me alone!' move to me

I was gonna say: reminds me of Sean Penn during his Madonna phase.

[pogiguy05]

You know you could try the bait and switch technic. simply grab some hapless crab on the way to the den and offer the GPO some dinner....Just saying

[lundysd]

Kathryn and I returned to the sight of the crime this weekend to investigate a little bit further. We found a grand total of 7 GPOs in 2 dives -- they are stinkin everywhere right now. The 3 visible GPOs under the honeybear are all VERY VERY large, and having 3 (and possibly 4) in such a small vicinity makes for some fireworks. I saw 2 of them tangle briefly -- they are all certainly very active and on edge.

We also found another specimen near the boundary line -- he was on the edge of his den and made for some beautiful photos. Finally, we found a juvenile GPO out in the open. He was extremely photogenic and playful (not to mention a nice contrast to the larger, more intimidating GPOs around). I hope you enjoy the photos -- the full gallery can be found at:

http://www.raptureofthedeep.net/c2

[lavachickie]

Wow. What fantastic photos (and a very amusing post to boot). THANK YOU.

[Penopolypants]

Anyone else notice a theme here? It would seem we have been betrayed by one of our own. P-Pants, your subtle sneaky subterfuge has not gone unnoticed, and your nefarious plot has defiantly been noticed. Now all we have to be is what to know of her being where the accidental was of her to have it.

Wharrbblgl!

*brushes off her air-hose cutting skills*

Now that you know I'll have to taking you out ice skating or some such other activity.