Suspect Apprehended with Octagonal Surveillance Device Snatch
In the chilly waters of Des Moines, Washington, Drew Collins, a professional underwater and land photographer residing in Puget Sound, found himself in an unexpected predicament. During a dive in the Pacific Northwest, Drew encountered a giant Pacific octopus, which became his photo subject.
However, the encounter took an unexpected turn when the octopus seized Drew's camera and mask, causing a dynamic tug of war underwater. With the octopus having the upper hand due to its multiple arms, Drew found himself in a precarious situation.
Drew's diving companion, Randy Williams, captured the incident on video, providing proof of the unusual event. Despite the challenging situation, Drew remained calm and applied various underwater recovery techniques to retrieve his camera.
Octopuses are known for their intelligence and sensitivity to disturbances. Therefore, Drew carefully approached the octopus, using gentle coaxing techniques to encourage it to release the camera. He also planned the search based on the facts about where the camera was taken and employed a systematic search pattern.
Unfortunately, the octopus was unable to pull the camera rig inside its den, and the dome shade of the camera rig was long gone. After a long, cold surface swim back to shore, Drew returned with a soaked drysuit. His dry gloves seams had come undone, allowing cold water to flood into his suit.
Undeterred, Drew and Randy made a second dive to retrieve the camera. After a few labored minutes of wrestling the camera rig away from the octopus, they managed to secure it and end the underwater battle.
Brent Durand, an avid California beach diver, underwater photographer, and editor with the Underwater Photography Guide, shares Drew's story on their website. Bluewater Photo & Video, the sister site of the Underwater Photography Guide, offers expert advice on underwater photography gear to help photographers like Drew prepare for such unexpected encounters.
While no specific published study or guide directly addresses octopus camera theft retrieval, these practices are adapted from general underwater search and recovery strategies and diver experience. The behavior of giant Pacific octopuses suggests that patience and non-aggressive retrieval attempts are most effective.
Drew Collins, a professional photographer based in Puget Sound, encountered an unexpected predicament during an underwater dive in the Pacific Northwest when a giant Pacific octopus seized his camera and mask, leading to a dynamic underwater tug of war. Randy Williams, Drew's diving companion, captured the incident on video.
Octopuses are known for their intelligence and sensitivity, so Drew carefully approached the octopus and used gentle coaxing techniques to encourage it to release the camera. Despite the octopus's hold on the camera rig, Drew and Randy made a second dive to retrieve it, employing a systematic search pattern based on the facts about where the camera was taken.
Unfortunately, Drew returned from the second dive with a soaked drysuit and damaged dry gloves. He shared his story on the Underwater Photography Guide website, which is edited by Brent Durand, an avid California beach diver, underwater photographer, and expert in the field.
Bluewater Photo & Video, the sister site of the Underwater Photography Guide, offers advice on underwater photography gear to help photographers like Drew prepare for such unexpected encounters. While no specific study or guide directly addresses octopus camera theft retrieval, the practices used by Drew are adapted from general underwater search and recovery strategies and diver experience.
The behavior of giant Pacific octopuses suggests that patience and non-aggressive retrieval attempts are most effective. Drew's experience highlights the importance of having the right gear, such as a mirrorless camera and strobe, for underwater photography. Additionally, home-and-garden enthusiasts may find Drew's story inspiring as it showcases the intersection of lifestyle, gardening, and underwater photography.
