View Full Version : Giant Squid Redux
oddlycalm
09-28-05, 01:10 PM
The giant squids have made news headlines again having finally been caught in action on video. For those that missed the original giant squid thread, squids that have washed up dead on beaches have reached nearly 60ft. long weighing up to a ton. :eek: Looks like Jules Verne had it right. ;)
Giant squid filmed (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050928/ap_on_sc/japan_giant_squid;_ylt=ArHEzwiTCbSymyNpfW09eGx34T0 D;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl)
Also of note is the Discovery Channel documentary of the semi-giant squid of the Sea of Cortez that have attacked fisherman there. This particular species seems to comunicate by changing it's body color at varying intervals and is capable of strobe-like changes.
oc
...squids that have washed up dead on beaches have reached nearly 60ft. long weighing up to a ton. :eek: Looks like Jules Verne had it right.
20,000 Leagues, the Jaws movie poster and a book on sharks by Jacques Cousteau (with amazing photos) are responsible for making me wary of entering any body of water larger than my bathtub. :eek: :D
Dang, those creatures are freaky. And strobe-like colour changing?? 'Disco, disco squid...' :thumbup:
Methanolandbrats
09-28-05, 01:36 PM
Mmmmmm..........calamari :D
20,000 Leagues, the Jaws movie poster and a book on sharks by Jacques Cousteau (with amazing photos) are responsible for making me wary of entering any body of water larger than my bathtub. :eek: :D
Dang, those creatures are freaky. And strobe-like colour changing?? 'Disco, disco squid...' :thumbup:
don't worry, you don't have any oceans with evil big critters that far inside Canadia ;) You're safe for now, that is unless the carp and africanized killer trout get to you...
oddlycalm
09-28-05, 02:18 PM
making me wary of entering any body of water larger than my bathtub. :eek: I have some really scary stories that I used to tell around the campfire on quiet nights spent next to remote lakes in the wilderness of Northern Ontario. Remote lakes in the North woods with the wind moving in the trees is a great backdrop for such stories. :D
In reality the biggest threats were the deer flies and mosquitoes which were incredibly bad and will eat you a drop at a time. :(
oc
^^^ And leeches. Ick. Although more common in rivers, I guess. :D And don't forget Ogopogo, or Manipogo, depending on which province you're in!
Another freaky creature I read about was a tiny fish in warmer climes that will swim right up, um, er, into you... :eek: I thought it was just a legend, but my friend who grew up in Nicaragua says they're real. Gross.
IlliniRacer
09-28-05, 04:36 PM
^^^ And leeches. Ick. Although more common in rivers, I guess. :D And don't forget Ogopogo, or Manipogo, depending on which province you're in!
Another freaky creature I read about was a tiny fish in warmer climes that will swim right up, um, er, into you... :eek: I thought it was just a legend, but my friend who grew up in Nicaragua says they're real. Gross.
I remember watching the Eco-Challenge or Raid Gauloises a few years back when a competitor had a leech crawl up his "Octagon." The medical staff just told him to relieve himself and it would kill the leech and flush it out. Would be a horrible time to get "stage fright"
Jervis Tetch 1
09-28-05, 11:53 PM
I still fear Piranhas :eek:
The holy grail of marine life finally found.
I watched the Disc. Ch. special where they tried to find one by tagging a bunch of whales with cameras. No luck.
I felt all "Al Capone's Vault"-y after that.
OC, if you see a repeat of the doc. on the attacking squid on the schedule, try to send out a heads-up.
oddlycalm
09-29-05, 01:48 PM
The holy grail of marine life finally found.
I watched the Disc. Ch. special where they tried to find one by tagging a bunch of whales with cameras. No luck.
I felt all "Al Capone's Vault"-y after that.
OC, if you see a repeat of the doc. on the attacking squid on the schedule, try to send out a heads-up. The "All Capone's vault" crack was a classic G. :thumbup:
OK, heads up. Discovery's site says Killer Squid is going to re-air at 4pm Eastern time on October 8th.
The Sea of Cortez squid only grow to around 6ft.-12ft long as I recall but they are able jet around at speeds that seem unbelievable. Lots of clear footage and they even swim with the squid at the end.
Gangrel
09-29-05, 04:34 PM
The "All Capone's vault" crack was a classic G. :thumbup:
OK, heads up. Discovery's site says Killer Squid is going to re-air at 4pm Eastern time on October 8th.
The Sea of Cortez squid only grow to around 6ft.-12ft long as I recall but they are able jet around at speeds that seem unbelievable. Lots of clear footage and they even swim with the squid at the end.
Resident Diver Speaking: :)
The squid you talk of in the Sea of Cortez is the Humboldt Squid. They are actually quite common, and known to be aggressive. The Giant Squid (Architeuthis), on the other hand, were only known from anicdotal stories and dead/dying specimens washed up on beaches and caught in fishing nets. These critters are MUCH bigger than Humboldts, and until now, we didn't really know much about their behavior. Probably still don't.
All squid, as well as octipi and cuddlefish, change colors as a form of communication. It is astounding how quickly and drastically squid can change their colors. The little Caribbean Reef Squid we saw in Belize earlier this summer were unlike anything I have ever seen, changing from white to red to blue in less than the blink of an eye.
Don't let squid or sharks chase you out of the water. I have been at depth with both, and every encounter was more special than the last! About the only critters I would prefer to avoid are Great Whites and Humboldts. Not a difficult task, and if I did encounter either, I would keep a cool head and enjoy the moment. The chances of either doing you any harm are statistically miniscule. :)
oddlycalm
10-01-05, 04:18 PM
The squid you talk of in the Sea of Cortez is the Humboldt Squid. They are actually quite common, and known to be aggressive. The Giant Squid (Architeuthis), on the other hand, were only known from anicdotal stories and dead/dying specimens washed up on beaches and caught in fishing nets. Quite right, the Humbolts are common and are the focus of a large commercial fishery. I didn't mean to suggest the two species were somehow one in the same, so thanks for making clear the distinction.
The Discovery show mentioned indicates that the only time they observed Humbolts acting aggesively was when they were actively being snagged by fisherman. Their observation of them when just swimming with them was that under those circumstances they didn't act aggressive.
oc
Gangrel
10-02-05, 01:21 AM
Quite right, the Humbolts are common and are the focus of a large commercial fishery. I didn't mean to suggest the two species were somehow one in the same, so thanks for making clear the distinction.
The Discovery show mentioned indicates that the only time they observed Humbolts acting aggesively was when they were actively being snagged by fisherman. Their observation of them when just swimming with them was that under those circumstances they didn't act aggressive.
oc
I have, however, heard plenty of personal first-hand accounts from fellow divers of Humboldts getting aggressive. As a diver, it is not conidered advisable to stay in the water if they are spotted. Note: this is a stronger comment than I have heard made of just about any other creature down there. Great Whites and Tiger Sharks may warrant such advice as well. Might.
oddlycalm
10-02-05, 03:44 PM
I have, however, heard plenty of personal first-hand accounts from fellow divers of Humboldts getting aggressive. As a diver, it is not conidered advisable to stay in the water if they are spotted. Note: this is a stronger comment than I have heard made of just about any other creature down there. Great Whites and Tiger Sharks may warrant such advice as well. Might. Good to know. Considering their physiology, even a minor attack would ruin a person's day.
oc
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