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Divers using caution as Jumbo squid attack underwater
July 17th, 2009, 9:50 am · 9 Comments · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
Some local scuba divers are opting to stay away from La Jolla waters, after word of Jumbo squid attacking under water is sweeping through the tight-knit community.
According to the Associated Press, thousands of 5-foot-long jumbo flying squid are washing up dead on the beaches, but live ones are also in shallow waters attacking humans underwater.
“La Jolla is probably not a great place to go right now,” said local diver Peter Corliss. “I’m not planning on doing any La Jolla night dives.”
Orange County had its introduction to these massive sea dwellers a few years back, when more than 1,000 of them mysteriously washed up dead on shore in Newport Beach.
The Orange County Register’s Pat Brennan the other day wrote about local fishermen catching them off Huntington Beach - a signal that they may be heading toward local shores. Just last night, Davey’s Locker out of Newport Beach reported 163 of the squid caught on one of their charter boats.
It seems they’re back in So Cal – with a vengeance.
On the diver’s e-mail list through ocdiving.com, tails of long tentacles grabbing at divers gear or trying to take a chunks out of their head with their razor-sharp teeth has been a topic of discussion.
Diver Mike Bear writes: … “in light of the following account of an experienced diver being roughed up by one of these creatures, I’m coming to the conclusion that it’s not worth an encounter–next time, an air hose could be ripped from a diver and it could be much worse.
I’m going to adopt a ‘wait and see’ attitude towards shore diving over the next two weeks or so and if there’s evidence that they are still around–either in the Cove or the Shores–I won’t be going into the water while they are around.
Remember: it’s their ocean and they play rough…”
Dennis Kelly, professor of marine biology at Orange Coast College, said he’s heard about the squids in San Diego, and knows too well about their aggressive behavior. He said they can get up to 8-feet long.
“There have been cases of Humboldt squid attacking divers,” he said “They’re very aggressive, they will gang up on people.”
Kelly said he has a movie showing them grabbing a diver, and another trying to bite a diver in the leg. They even came after Kelly one time.
“I went to the surface as fast as I could,” he said of the creature, which can get up to 8 feet. “If enough went after you, they could hold you down long enough to do some damage.”
Kelly said there’s two ways the Humboldt squid get to local waters, and usually happens when water is warmer than normal. It’s either from the Davidson Counter Current, which flows north from Mexico, that brings the squid with them, or an El Nino.
Read the full story by AP here.
9 Comments
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I’ve always been fascinated by cephalopods, and these recent
encounters with giant squids near where I grew up has
re-lignited that interest. Of all the creatures in the ocean,
these have to be the most exotic. Maybe all of the airline
disasters at sea, with the wreckage hitting the sea floor,
are the reason that so many of them are appearing near
the ocean surface. I’m just glad no one was hurt.
The squid in question are the Humboldt Squid, not Giant Squid. The Giant Squid species have only been found in deep waters. Giant Squid can be as long as 40 feet. The Humboldt are known to be aggressive, and attacks are common, if diving with them. While the Humboldt Squid are large in size, they should not be confused with the Giant Squid.
I think they’re pissed off because ten of their own were swiped away by fisherman a couple days ago. They’re probably either already on a plate, or have gone through the digestion process already. Either way, the ones left in the ocean are pissed.
These are not “giant squid”, they’re Humboldt squid. There’s a difference, stop sensationalizing your stories w/ false labels.
Does this mean the price of calamari should be going down?
This time the water isn’t warmer than normal (if fact it’s way colder than normal) and there certainly isn’t an El Nino going on.
I love it when a scientist gives a assumption.
Thanks Chris - yes you’re right, I was thinking of the interchangable reference of “Jumbo Squid,” thanks for the note!
With these giant squid in the shallow water it will ruin the sand bass bite as it has in the past. Sand bass are better eating.
Chris is correct! - LGT STFU! - Frank LOL! - Scott is in left field, we are in the beginning of an El Nino - Big D, there are no fish around when these are near…..