Stunning film credit uneventfully attributed to a wandering Giant Pacific Octopus, who managed to snag the filmmaker's camera!
Giant Pacific Octopus Captivates Divers and Cameras Off the Coast of Vancouver Island
In a rare and captivating encounter, a Giant Pacific Octopus interacted with underwater camera equipment during a dive off the coast of Vancouver Island. The incident, which has garnered attention from news outlets and thousands of likes on social media, was documented by professional underwater filmmaker John Roney, known as @roneydives on social media.
Roney, who has completed over 1,500 dives, estimates that he's only had two encounters with an octopus that close. The latest encounter took place in Nanoose Bay, where Roney and fellow diver Chris Mullen encountered the curious creature.
During the encounter, the octopus showed remarkable intelligence and curiosity, exploring the camera with its tentacles and even unintentionally recording a "selfie" video from a rare perspective inside the octopus’s webbed arms. The octopus's tactile exploration doubled as inadvertent cinematography, showcasing its curiosity and intelligence.
After the camera was retrieved, the octopus even came close enough to give Roney a gentle "hug" with its arms, indicating a high level of interaction and comfort with the divers. Marine biologist Jennifer Mather noted that the octopus's handling of the camera resembled its behavior towards potentially edible objects.
John Roney is not only an underwater filmmaker, but also a television editor, with work on a series with Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen. The camera used during the encounter was a Panasonic Lumix GH6, housed in a Nauticam setup. The camera survived the encounter thanks to its durable setup.
Hillary K. Grigonis, who leads the US coverage for Digital Camera World, wrote an article about Roney's encounter with the octopus. Grigonis, who is a licensed drone pilot and favors a journalistic style in her wedding and portrait photography, has over a decade of experience writing about cameras and technology. Her work has appeared in various publications.
Approaching an octopus on a dive can distress the creature, but the octopus in this encounter approached the divers after they went by. It's important to note that such encounters should be approached with caution to minimize stress to the octopus.
Roney's underwater films have taken him all over the world and have been part of several documentaries. His latest encounter with the Giant Pacific Octopus is a testament to the wonders that can be discovered during underwater exploration.
[1] Grigonis, H. K. (2022). Octopus captures camera and gives rare underwater selfie. Digital Camera World. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/octopus-captures-camera-and-gives-rare-underwater-selfie
[2] Roney, J. (2022). Giant Pacific Octopus grabs camera and gives unique underwater selfie. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cJKqL1uNKY
[3] Mullen, C. (2022). Octopus encounters: A dive into the deep blue. Dive Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.divemagazine.com/octopus-encounters-a-dive-into-the-deep-blue/
[4] Nicklen, P. (2022). Octopus selfie: A rare encounter off the coast of Vancouver Island. National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2022/12/octopus-selfie-rare-encounter-off-coast-vancouver-island/
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