Coolest Octopus Ever!

Hey everyone. I just got back from diving Le Pont (the Bridge) and it was a really cool dive. Ijust wanted to blog about it right away. I was diving with Camilla, Jim and Justin (from Wilton, Massachusettes) and there was just so much to see. We saw a huge stingray, a giant Loggerhead turtle, loads of lobsters, and... the coolest octopus ever! Of course, it is just my luck that I took my camera out yesterday and not today, but I don't care. Even though I may not have a physical picture of the coolest octopus ever, I have a mental one that I will carry forever.

An octopus (plural octopuses, octopi, and octopodes) is an amazing creature. Did you know that they can grow up to 1.3 meters? Or that they can lose a limb in order to avoid an attack by a predator? They are also amazing at camouflaging themselves and can change colors instantaneously. The one we saw today was the Common Octopus, or Octopus vulgaris.... (I don't think that the latin name is very suiting). The Octopus was so awsome today because it was all splayed out on the side of one of the little wrecks at Le Pont. You could see all eight limbs and the giant bulbous head with pink eyes. At first it was a rusty brown color, but then, once it saw us, it flashed white... green... brown... white. It was too cool. I think I scared my divers as I screeched in my regulator.

Other news.... We would like to congratulate Kelly for finishing her Divemaster and entering the wonderful world of diving professionals. She did a fantastic job during her internship here, and we will miss her. If she sends me the photo she took of all five of us, (Craig, Max, Chris, myself and Kelly) then I will post it for all of you to see.

I also have some photos to post of the dive we did yesterday (when I did have my camera) at the Gregory. The visibility was just perfect, about 100ft, and everyone had a great dive. We were diving with Emma (from Wales), Karen and Jack (from the American University of the Caribbean) and Dominic (from Britanny, France).

From this photo you can see how great the visibility was. The Gregory is an upside down barge and lies at about 55 feet.

Are those Chris' long legs? Yes.... I believe they are. The man in black!

This was actually taken at Le Pont. There are always so many lobsters here... and big one's too! But we never ever take any, or else you wouldn't be able to see them when you dive with us.

This hawksbille turtle was posing for me, for ages. You can tell he is a Hawksbill because of his "beak" and also the darker shade of green on his shell.

OK. I'm filling tanks now, so I better get back to it! We cascade fill here, (that means that instead of turning the compressor on and off everytime a tank is full, we close one tank, and then immediately open the next tank, without turning the compressor on and off). Anyway... with cascade filling you have to be attentive or you will miss it, and the compressor will automatically shut off at 3,400 PSI. Did you know that by cascade filling you can extend the life of you compressor by years? I didn't think that you did know that, I wasn't aware of it either, until I purchased my own compressor and found out how expensive they are! Now I am extremely aware of anything that will extend it's life.

Thanks for reading.... I should really say.... thanks for reading, mom and dad. As I think they are the only person that do read my blog. So thanks mom and dad. Miss you and talk to you later!

(this blog was written by Sally).