After reading my last blog post about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, a good friend of mine who is an avid recreational diver emailed me and asked if I knew about the Giant Octopuses that live under the Narrows Bridge. I said, “yeah, right, and boy do I have a bridge to sell you.” And I asked if he checked under his bed at night for monsters. 🙂
Well, he said that he DID check under his bed for monsters, every night, and he suspected every right-thinking adult does that … and he said that there are indeed, truthfully, Giant Octopuses that live under that bridge in the waters of “the Narrows.” So I did some research (good thing I like research) and golly gosh, he’s right! There ARE giant octopuses that live under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. In fact, they are known to be the largest octopuses in the world, and no I’m not pulling your legs, nor your octopus’s arms. (Octopuses do not have tentacles, by the way.)
From the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound: “GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS (Enteroctopus dofleini) is the largest species of octopus in the world. It is found in the northern Pacific Ocean from the northwest coast of the continental United States to Japan, including Puget Sound.”
There are reports of one giant octopus weighing 157 pounds and measuring 11 feet long from the top of the mantel to the end of its arms (octopuses don’t have tentacles). That octopus was weighed live, out of the water of course, and then immediately returned to the water.
Take a look at the following online article that includes a couple of brief videos:
http://kuow.drupal.publicbroadcasting.net/post/there-really-giant-octopus-under-tacoma-narrows-bridge.
And there’s a ton of information HERE about the Puget Sound and Tacoma giant octopuses (most of it factual, although there is a bit of silly talk about a 600-pound octopus that lives under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and that comes up to the surface and grabs entire huge ferry boats and eats all of the passengers … yikes).
There are so many fascinating things I never knew about in this place I call home.
WOW! This is amazing, though I have to admit I’m still a bit skeptical and wondering if somehow you’re pulling my let.
leg. Not let. Sigh.
Those dang keyboards!
That’s the exact same reaction I had when my friend told me about the octopuses. I knew him to be knowledgeable, but I still wondered. ha! But when I researched giant octopuses and Puget Sound online, it was true. And they are darned big! Hope I never run into one.
I don’t think I will worry to much about them since I won’t be doing any diving anytime to soon. But that last picture of Mr. Octopus shows off some pretty colors
Me too, tho I worry about them coming up and grabbing me by the toes when I’m on the beach. Ok, not so much. 🙂
That last picture was taken when the diver came upon an octopus that was its normal red coloring, but then when it realized the diver was near, it started changing to blue and green to try to hide. What a great photo.
I agree with Jo, the last picture is really a pretty octopus.
It’s almost bedtime, I need to check under my bed for monsters!
That’s funny Ginger. I now think about this every night when I go to bed. I don’t actually look under my bed for monsters but I do think about it. We are funny sometimes. 🙂
In the early 80’s I was stationed at McChord AFB and a local friend took me fishing at Point Defiance. We used a rope to lower ourselves to the beach during a very low tide so that we would be able to get close to the extreme dropoff and swirling waters that drew the Herring, and of course, the Salmon. I was wearing waders and standing on a rock in waist-deep water, casting, when I felt a tug on my ankle. I looked down and noticed some sort of brown ropey thing on my ankle, and when I tugged at it, it started to turn an orange-ish color. Looking back, I saw what looked like two eyes the size of dinner plates embedded in a huge head….I shrieked like a little girl and headed for the beach. My friend waded over, and being a diver and experienced with Puget Sound marine life, said “wow – this puppy has to be at least eight feet long!” Intellectually I understand that octopus are intelligent, benign creatures, but all I could see was Kirk Douglas in “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” hacking at those giant tentacles with an ax. No Salmon that day, just a memory that will never leave me. Thanks for reminding me! I think….
Wow, Keith, what an experience! And how startling that would be … even if you knew giant octopuses were down there … to have one grab you. I’m told they do live in that deep part near the drop-off where the herring and salmon gather … lots of harbor seals there too that feed on the salmon. I understand this is exactly why the octopuses hereabouts grow so big … the protected environment with no predators, protected water (not the open ocean), warmer water than the ocean, and an unlimited food supply because of the higher than usual current inbound and outbound with the tides that bring plentiful supplies of fish and other food. As well, when I used to go through the Narrows on my boat, there were always fisherfolk in their boats and on shore there. Maybe I’ve seen you!