Several PGOs in Their Dens at Madrona Point

[Tom Hlavac]

Some video clips from today's dive at Madrona Point (January 18, 2014). There were several (5) PGOs home today. Good visibility and my lighting was better today than some previous videos. Let me know if you enjoy these.

 

[DWhatley]

How far apart were these? One pair appeared to be within arm's reach.

I have noticed in all your videos that the fish have no fear of the GPOs at all which suggests fish are not on the GPOs menu.

 

[Tom Hlavac]

The pair were within 7 meters or so from the one in the clip before. There is a decent density at Madrona Point, seems pretty good habitat although the feed is so so - not many swimming scallops around, these PGOs are crabbers mostly. I think the rockfish have a pretty good relationship with the octopus, you see the yelloweye often very close, also the tigers. Sizewise these are mediums - 20-30 lbs, maybe the biggest around 40 max.

 

[Tom Hlavac]

Madrona Point is a pretty good shore dive for viewing octopus. It's a little deep to spend much time, but then most of the decent sized octopus are deeper usually. If you take a little time, you can swim the entire wall and see a few on one tank (today I was riding the no deco on my computer up at the end of the dive, but had a little extra oxygen from the last Nitrox fill so a bit more of a safety factor - the computer stays set for air).

 

[tonmo]

Great video as usual Tom. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tom Hlavac]

Today went for a dive across the bay, off Cottam Point's deep wall. Only sign was some crab litter, looks like maybe a small one around. Madrona seems to be a preferred habitat. Next dive I'm probably going to check in at the dens off Cottam Point's tip, they are wolf eel and octopus dens.

 

[Tom Hlavac]

Thanks BTW :)

 

[Nancy]

Interesting videos - thanks for posting these for us!

Nancy

 

[DWhatley]

Be sure to sneak some of the wolf eels in the videos