pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
- Grateful Diver
- I've Got Gills
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pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Most of us think it's a pretty neat dive when we see a giant pacific octo out on walkabout. On those rare days when we see two, we consider it something pretty special. So what do you call it when you see six GPO's out in the open? How about when two of them are in the act of ... well ... the act ...
That's the day we had today, when myself, blackwater, gutholmj and cardiver did a couple dives at Flagpole. It was a perfect day for it, with glass-calm water and mild current for the surface swim, 25+ foot visibility, and well ... octocity.
We descended at the WSA buoy and headed south and down the wall. At about 90 fsw I found a rather large clump of cloud sponges.
After snapping off a few pics, I signaled to Bric, who was about 15 feet away, to come over so I could get him in a picture. But he wasn't coming. So I swam over to see what he was looking at. Well ... this ...
I took quite a series of this fellow, as he was huge and very active. I found myself wishing I'd brought my wide-angle lens, as I had to back up quite a ways to get all of him ... and he was stirring up the silt pretty good as he was on the hunt. So here's a few pics of the first octo ... I'll post a few from the others as I have time ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
That's the day we had today, when myself, blackwater, gutholmj and cardiver did a couple dives at Flagpole. It was a perfect day for it, with glass-calm water and mild current for the surface swim, 25+ foot visibility, and well ... octocity.
We descended at the WSA buoy and headed south and down the wall. At about 90 fsw I found a rather large clump of cloud sponges.
After snapping off a few pics, I signaled to Bric, who was about 15 feet away, to come over so I could get him in a picture. But he wasn't coming. So I swam over to see what he was looking at. Well ... this ...
I took quite a series of this fellow, as he was huge and very active. I found myself wishing I'd brought my wide-angle lens, as I had to back up quite a ways to get all of him ... and he was stirring up the silt pretty good as he was on the hunt. So here's a few pics of the first octo ... I'll post a few from the others as I have time ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Nice!
Tim McClung
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22nd Annual Scott Firefighter Stair Climb, support it: http://www.llswa.org/site/TR/Events/Big ... fr_id=1280
- Grateful Diver
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
How's this for a wall of octopus flesh? These two were massive ... there's easily 200+ pounds of calamari in that pile ...
Ah, ain't love grand ... chilled wine, romantic music, the aromatic tang of post-coital cigarettes ... June whispering softly in Ward's ear "you were a little hard on the Beaver" ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Ah, ain't love grand ... chilled wine, romantic music, the aromatic tang of post-coital cigarettes ... June whispering softly in Ward's ear "you were a little hard on the Beaver" ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
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- Grateful Diver
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Number 4 was a bit smaller, and feisty ... I don't think he was happy to see us at all ... I called him Mr. Angry ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Nice shots, Bob.....I really miss my camera.
-Ron T.
"When I'm 80 I'll take up real diving, which is done in a pub..." Ray Ives.
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"When I'm 80 I'll take up real diving, which is done in a pub..." Ray Ives.
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- SeattleYates
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Wow! Great stuff! You got some excellent shots, but I know they can't compare with the actual experience! I'm green with envy!
Bruce Yates
Photography: http://www.UnderwaterReflections.com
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damned fool about it." WC Fields
Photography: http://www.UnderwaterReflections.com
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damned fool about it." WC Fields
- Grateful Diver
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Number 5 was the smallest of the bunch ... he was nested in between a bunch of plumose anemones, sound asleep ...
This has got to be one of the weirdest octopus shots I've ever taken ...
Anyway, that was pretty much it for the first dive ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
This has got to be one of the weirdest octopus shots I've ever taken ...
Anyway, that was pretty much it for the first dive ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Another really excellent day of diving. Thanks Ron, Bob & Bric.
I really like the action in this one.
All of my images were less than inspiring but I've got to post something.
I really like the action in this one.
All of my images were less than inspiring but I've got to post something.
"Well as much as this pains me I am gonna have to pull out" - pogiguy05
- Bric Martin
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
This was one of the great days! Our swim out was with a mild flood, which helped us out. The water was glass calm, and there was no wind.
Bob and James' pictures are fantasic as always, but the pictures really don't do justice to the size of the octos. On the first dive, 4 of the 5 octos were huge. I mean really big! The two that were making whoopie were spread out over about a 5 foot area. On the first dive we spent so much time with the octos that we really overlooked the cloud sponge.
On our second dive, we dove the shallow reef. We had a nice drift out around the point and again we saw a couple of nice size octos,the dive had a decent amount of smaller critters also.
Thanks Bob, James, and Ron for a great day!
Last edited by Bric Martin on Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Bric Martin
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Save the Oceans, Save Ourselves!
RIP LCF
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- Grateful Diver
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Second dive was on the shallow reef closer in to the point. That's where we found #6 ... also nested in among the anemones. He was a bit larger than #5 ... and although obviously awake, seemed to not mind the attention ...
... and no Hood Canal dive would be complete without at least one wolfie ... and that's all we found ...
... but this just has to be one of the goofiest wolfie shots I've ever taken ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
... and no Hood Canal dive would be complete without at least one wolfie ... and that's all we found ...
... but this just has to be one of the goofiest wolfie shots I've ever taken ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
...I like going to the chamber.. They have great food there, and awsome live music "H20doctor"
Check out the VIDEOS!
Check out the VIDEOS!
- Grateful Diver
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
... and since we had really gone there to see the cloud sponges, I did manage to get a couple shots I liked ... in between all the octos ...
Overall a pretty awesome day of diving ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Overall a pretty awesome day of diving ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Wow, Bob, clearly Hood Canal was the place to be today! (Port Hadlock clearly wasn't . . . and wasn't clear, either). Some great GPO photos there.
"Sometimes, when your world is going sideways, the second best thing to everything working out right, is knowing you are loved..." ljjames
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
OK let me add some more WOWs. Bob you got real winners here Beautiful.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Wow! certainly was an epic day! and some epic photo's from all. I really like Brick's shot of the octo. Very dynamic. Great work you guys. Bet you made it back to shore on adrenaline alone!
To bad it's such a tough place to get to. I'm just to old for long surface swims. But it does make me eager to do Sund again this week.
To bad it's such a tough place to get to. I'm just to old for long surface swims. But it does make me eager to do Sund again this week.
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Wow and great pics!
Jeff V
Octo Buddy Dive Tours - www.octobuddy.com
Octo Buddy Dive Tours - www.octobuddy.com
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Wow.
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Damn . . . that's a very cool experience. Thank you for sharing what you could of it.
Kelly
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Cool to see nice healthy Cloud Sponges. Anyone heard of any Gorgonians in Hood Canal?
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” -- John Muir
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
I think, there is not enough 'wow's in this thread. I'd like to add mine too.
WOW! Great pictures, Bob!
WOW! Great pictures, Bob!
- lavachickie
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Great pictures! Killing me here! I had potential lined up on both sides of the Sound, but circumstances made it such that things lined up to get me to the Tacoma side this weekend instead. Sounds like some wonderful dives. Thanks for sharing!
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Looking forward to Roatan June 2016.
Looking forward to Roatan June 2016.
- Joshua Smith
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Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Holy cow- I'm late to the party, but I have to chime in- amazing shots! Those must have been epic dives!
Maritime Documentation Society
"To venture into the terrible loneliness, one must have something greater than greed. Love. One needs love for life, for intrigue, for mystery."
"To venture into the terrible loneliness, one must have something greater than greed. Love. One needs love for life, for intrigue, for mystery."
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
Bob,
What settings did you use? Thanks.
Matt
What settings did you use? Thanks.
Matt
Re: pretty epic day on Hood Canal ...
I'll add another WOW!
don
don