Well we have returned from our first Giant Humboldt Squid Encounter Dive of 07. Happy to say it was a success and our two clients were able to encounter squid from all sizes (a rare occasion). The first two days we spent off the Coronado Island and we found a bunch baby squid ranging from 1’ to about 2 ½ feet long. In 12 years of filming these beautiful squid, Scott has never seen such small baby squid. He loved it! Even though they were small, they were definitely feisty! The clients got to get in the water with them without the full gear on. Of course Scott was in the water first making sure that it was safe. To Scott’s painful surprise, a baby squid folded over and bit Scott hard on the little finger. Even the small ones are fully capable predators.
Our clients are Advanced Divers and did very well with the baby squid, so we decided to take them where the big boys are…Santa Rosalia!
We rented a car and drove north 2.5 hours to Santa Rosalia. We hired a Panga and fisherman to take us out to dive with squid. They have come to know Scott as the crazy gringo that dives with the calamar gigante.
Much to their credit our clients gear up in the chain mail suits during the hottest day of the trip without a complaint. The fisherman is speaking of large squid below and the need for diver protection armor was clear.
The water’s surface was covered with a bright green plankton bloom that reduced visibility to one foot, however, at 8 fsw it cleared up to over 20 feet of visibility.
Scott and our clients enter the water together and descend into the realm of the Red Demons.
Our clients performed 2 dives. The first dive they encountered several large squid, some at close range. Most of the Humboldt Squid encountered were between 5’-6’ long, (some in the 100 plus lbs range) and they were saying that they saw larger squid just below them but they would not come up.
One customer had yellow fins on and the squid found those quite enticing and they swam through his legs. He wasn’t real comfortable with a 100 lb Humboldt Squid hovering between his legs, but he enjoyed the experience and certainly will not forget it anytime soon. They captured some wonderful footage on their camera systems that they brought.
Despite the heat, they had a great time and saw large squid that less than 100 divers have ever seen!
Our clients are Advanced Divers and did very well with the baby squid, so we decided to take them where the big boys are…Santa Rosalia!
We rented a car and drove north 2.5 hours to Santa Rosalia. We hired a Panga and fisherman to take us out to dive with squid. They have come to know Scott as the crazy gringo that dives with the calamar gigante.
Much to their credit our clients gear up in the chain mail suits during the hottest day of the trip without a complaint. The fisherman is speaking of large squid below and the need for diver protection armor was clear.
The water’s surface was covered with a bright green plankton bloom that reduced visibility to one foot, however, at 8 fsw it cleared up to over 20 feet of visibility.
Scott and our clients enter the water together and descend into the realm of the Red Demons.
Our clients performed 2 dives. The first dive they encountered several large squid, some at close range. Most of the Humboldt Squid encountered were between 5’-6’ long, (some in the 100 plus lbs range) and they were saying that they saw larger squid just below them but they would not come up.
One customer had yellow fins on and the squid found those quite enticing and they swam through his legs. He wasn’t real comfortable with a 100 lb Humboldt Squid hovering between his legs, but he enjoyed the experience and certainly will not forget it anytime soon. They captured some wonderful footage on their camera systems that they brought.
Despite the heat, they had a great time and saw large squid that less than 100 divers have ever seen!
