Would you approach a giant squid?

[drrich2]

Yes, believe it or not, this is a serious question. California Diver Magazine (online, free to view, recommended) has an article Giant Squid Surfaces In Japanese Harbor; Scuba Diver Jumps In And Films It. A live one moving around, not an almost dead one floating & sort of twitching or the like. He said it spurted ink.

While highly unlikely to occur as a random reef encounter, it's interesting from a philosophical perspective. I believe the question's come up before, what do you do if you see a Humboldt squid on a dive? The latter can be ferocious if agitated over food present, from what I read elsewhere, but that's not necessarily how they are all the time.

So I'm wondering if what this guy did was, well, stupid?

Not to institute a mud-slinging dog-pile on the guy, but it's worth asking the question. This is a large, powerful predatory animal likely stressed in an abnormal situation. I wouldn't want to jump in at close quarters. Not sure I'd want to be nearby in the water, either.

Richard.

P.S.: It'd help to know more about the diver. Was he a scientist or the like with relevant marine life expertise, or just some bystander with scuba gear? Reminds me someone once wrote 'Fools rush in...and get the best seats.' This guy has a story to tell almost nobody can match. Since he lived this time...

 

[tomfcrist]

Id say you need balls the size of watermelons....not those puny seedless ones either.

I wouldn't say it's stupid, but surely high risk.

 

[WarrenZ]

If it was in the harbor on its own free will I would go check it out. However if it had been hooked, drug up from the depths and thoroughly pissed off then ill wait at the bar for you to return.

 

[Skeptic14]

From the video it didn't appear very active, but perhaps that's normal for giant squid?

I'd probably keep some distance if for no other reason than with 8 arms and two tentacles, it could probably accidentally remove my reg/mask/etc without much effort.

 

[Storker]

Nature isn't a petting zoo, so I have a healthy respect for any wild animal more than half my size. If it has sharp teeth or other uncomfortable features, it doesn't even have to be half my size.

So I would definitely not have jumped in to get close and personal with a giant squid.

 

[Chugwhump]

I know nothing about squid other than:
What I have seen on the "Tee-Vee",
They taste good fried,
They are good bait,
They can change colors and shape,
They are WHIP SMART,
They are fascinating,
They can rip apart their prey easily,
They can be exceedingly aggressive,
They eat whales,
and,
They rarely get more that 12" long in my local diving areas, and I approach them whenever I see them.

So.....
there is no freaking way I would jump in the water with one of these monsters given my total ignorance of their relation and behavior torwards Hugh-Manz.

Chug
Believes strongly in Kharma.

 

[SeaHorse81]

I'm grateful for the video, glad the diver didn't get hurt, and no, I would not do it.

 

[Jax]

Not enough information - Depends On The Situation - DOTS!

How well informed / knowledgeable about squid am I?
How well armed am I?
How good is the camera in zooming?
How close would I really have to get?
How is the squid acting?
. . . .

Id say you need balls the size of watermelons....not those puny seedless ones either.

I wouldn't say it's stupid, but surely high risk.

 

[Steve_C]

NOBODY knows much about giant squid especially how they react to humans and how they react in a strange environment. Maybe they attack. Maybe they retreat. Maybe they have you for lunch or a mate. If it attacks you are toast. These critters fight with sperm whales and do not always loose. So this guy acted completely without any knowledge of what will happen or what the risks were.


Since this was a very unusual location for this creature there is a good chance that even if alive it was injured, sick, hung over, or something to alter behavior.

 

[Rich Keller]

Stay away from those things! Don't know about the giant ones but the large ones that are normally found around hunt in packs and the are not afraid of you. Once you go into the water you are no longer on top of the food chain literally. These could be the next alpha predators once we kill off all the sharks.