GPOS at Flagpole on Hood Canal
Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 8:26 pm
On what might be "the last day of summer" - we were able to go diving on the boat at Flagpole this Saturday.
What a beautiful day! Sun was shining and the water was glassy smooth. Viz was at least 25 feet after the first 20 feet of water column. Lots of ambient light at the top of the pinnacle.
Right before I went in - camera alert! My vacuum alert light was now orange instead of green. It turns out - one of the main latches to the camera was not fully latched! I didn't have the vacuum pump with me. Should I dive with the camera and chance getting flooded? What would you have done?
So - since I believed that I discovered the issue - I went ahead and took my camera down. Bottom line- no leak through the two dives and no regrets.
At the second pinnacle - there is a large (Bright red) Octo den at about 95 feet deep. I went to look for him - but he wasn't in his den. As I was looking around, I almost blundered right on top of him. He was sitting on a shelf just watching the world go by - at about 90 feet. I spent as much time as I could with this gentle creature. He just stayed at his perch. Mind you - I just had my 60MM macro lens - so the pics don't do justice of the GPO out in the open.
Later on - I went around and took pics of one of the two remaining female Otcos with eggs. Now - you can see their baby octo eyes - and the eggs are getting creamier in color. (The octo is also turning more purple.)
All in all - a great day to go diving!!
What a beautiful day! Sun was shining and the water was glassy smooth. Viz was at least 25 feet after the first 20 feet of water column. Lots of ambient light at the top of the pinnacle.
Right before I went in - camera alert! My vacuum alert light was now orange instead of green. It turns out - one of the main latches to the camera was not fully latched! I didn't have the vacuum pump with me. Should I dive with the camera and chance getting flooded? What would you have done?
So - since I believed that I discovered the issue - I went ahead and took my camera down. Bottom line- no leak through the two dives and no regrets.
At the second pinnacle - there is a large (Bright red) Octo den at about 95 feet deep. I went to look for him - but he wasn't in his den. As I was looking around, I almost blundered right on top of him. He was sitting on a shelf just watching the world go by - at about 90 feet. I spent as much time as I could with this gentle creature. He just stayed at his perch. Mind you - I just had my 60MM macro lens - so the pics don't do justice of the GPO out in the open.
Later on - I went around and took pics of one of the two remaining female Otcos with eggs. Now - you can see their baby octo eyes - and the eggs are getting creamier in color. (The octo is also turning more purple.)
All in all - a great day to go diving!!
W!!! Soooo amazing!!!! 
