Category: Octopus

Like a king

Posted on by anke westerlaken in Column Dutch Diver Magazine, Indonesia, Octopus, Underwater photography

Despite the fact that I do a lot of diving, there are a number of diving moments that stay with me andĀ amung themĀ my first encounter with the blue ringed octopus. We are at a fantastic dive site appropriately named Mayhem in Raja Ampat Indonesia. Fitting because every time the currentĀ picks upĀ the dive site becomes a madhouse, the quantities as well as the different species are absolutely astonishing, even after 100 dives. The currentĀ sours around usĀ as soon as we roll into the water from the zodiac and from the first moment I try to hang as aerodynamically as possible. Nose down and into the current while holding my ass up, a trick I copied from sharks. And even though the current tries to blow me off the reef, I manage to stay in one place and I take the time to look around me quietly.Ā 

Real friends hold hands?

Posted on by anke westerlaken in Column Dutch Diver Magazine, Maldives, Manta & eagle ray, Octopus, Video

My big sister who doesn't dive gave me the tip to watch the movie 'Octopus my teacher' and I did that a few days ago. What an insane documentary about a biologist who snorkels every day for almost a year in the same large underwater kelp forest. In doing so, he follows the doings of an octopus, from hunting and foraging, to a shark attack, mating and having babies until her last hours. It's unbelievable how much patience this biologist has and the amazing shots he manages to make of all the important moments in the life of this eight-armed lady. Now I regularly see octopus underwater and when watching the documentary I thought back to Chrissie and Mel and their octopus adventure. The ladies had traveled to the Maldives to see mantas and so they came to me on the liveaboard. That week it was Manta heaven underwater and that started on the third dive day, although the ladies had more eyes for something else.