Humbolt Squid story...true or false?

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k8chen

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Location
Ashfield MA
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Ok, I 'm not sure if this is the right place for this but I really do want an answer...
Last October my hubby and I were diving in Cabo Pulmo and a guy told the following story: he was diving with a DM (don' remember where) and they came upon a giant squid. As they were watching it, it grabbed the DM and dragged her down 130ft before she managed to break free. Well this story totally freaked me out... Is this possible? Or was he just pulling my leg...?
 
Possible? Possible?? Anything is possible . . .

I'm thinking you should have raised a flag there -

:bs:

84373_340.jpg


:gans:
 
Possible? Possible?? Anything is possible . . .

I'm thinking you should have raised a flag there -

:bs:

84373_340.jpg


:gans:


Have you ever dove with Humbolt Squids? Why would you call BS?
 
I watched a Discovery channel show on them where a marine biologist studying them was attacked by three in a coordinated attack. Before he fought them off, they were supposedly dragging him down. He still had the wetsuit and scars as proof. One put on a colorful display while the other two came around his blind side.

I would say very possible.
 
They're incredibly strong. We ran into a school of them one night. I'd hook up and they would take off, there was no stopping them on their run. If I clamped down the drag they would snap the line. This was on tackle that routinely landed 70-80 pound tuna. We finally got one aboard. One of the guys had a bow, set up with a reel for fishing. He nailed it and we pulled it in little by little using a cleat. We gaffed it, and brought it aboard. It was 5-6 ft, tip of tentacles to end of body. I wouldn't want one grabbing me and deciding to head down
 
I've heard many stories about Humboldts ranging from divers and snorkelers that dove with them here off Catalina with absolutely no aggressive behavior to stories of fishermen being dragged out of their boats by them and divers being attacked and pulled down by them. I cannot verify any of that firsthand though. My guess as a marine biologist is that it is within the realm of possibility. Scott Cassell has done a lot of filming of them in the Sea of Cortez and probably could tell you much more from first hand experience.
 
Discovery and Nat Geo have both had stories on the Humboldt squid and the fishing of them in the Sea of Cortez waters. . . . filmed at - San Carlos, my favorite close-by dive location!

When the Humboldts come up to feed, and they are hooked by the fishermen, the fishermen clean them and throw the entrails overboard. That attracts more Humboldts, and more are hooked, and more entrails . . . you see the cycle?

When they are in a feeding frenzy, they will attack everything. If a fisherman falls in the water, there's a damn good chance of him being swarmed and attacked. The humboldt also attack the camera and everything else. There is a story of a fisherman dying that way, but it was a story.

That said, a Humboldt, singular, coming out of no where to attack a diver and "drag her away" . . . Nope. Just not seeing it.

BTW - that video above was done during the fishing time, when the squid were in a frenzy. The squid didn't exactly pull him anywhere, did it? As for the bite on the hand - that's like offering a finger to a parrot. :doh:
 
Discovery and Nat Geo have both had stories on the Humboldt squid and the fishing of them in the Sea of Cortez waters. . . . filmed at - San Carlos, my favorite close-by dive location!

When the Humboldts come up to feed, and they are hooked by the fishermen, the fishermen clean them and throw the entrails overboard. That attracts more Humboldts, and more are hooked, and more entrails . . . you see the cycle?

When they are in a feeding frenzy, they will attack everything. If a fisherman falls in the water, there's a damn good chance of him being swarmed and attacked. The humboldt also attack the camera and everything else. There is a story of a fisherman dying that way, but it was a story.

That said, a Humboldt, singular, coming out of no where to attack a diver and "drag her away" . . . Nope. Just not seeing it.

BTW - that video above was done during the fishing time, when the squid were in a frenzy. The squid didn't exactly pull him anywhere, did it? As for the bite on the hand - that's like offering a finger to a parrot. :doh:


Do you spend a lot of time in the ocean interacting with marine life? Is your opinion based on watching National Geo specials or actually diving with these creatures?
 
Add another creature to my list of those that I'd like to see but not interact with!
 
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