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Thousands of jumbo flying squid, or killer calamari, are pouring up from their customary deep water habitat and once more terrorizing beach goers and divers in San Diego.
These hostile five-foot-long sea ogres-of-the-
The squid’s journey to sunny South California has scientists running in knots of bewilderment. The phenomenon could have been caused by anything from global warming to a shortage of food, or a decline in the squid's natural predators.
Encounters with the foreign-looking cephalopods have shoved many experienced divers out of the water. A local diver Mike Bear revealed "I wouldn't go into the water with them for the same reason I wouldn't walk into a pride of lions on the Serengeti.”
Divers like Shanda Magill, are pulled between safeguarding their personal safety and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to share the sea with these deep-sea leviathans. Attracted to the dive lights, some divers report tentacles enveloping their masks and yanking at their cameras and gear.
Magill trod water during a recent night dive, as she gazed in wonder at a dozen squid with mournful, expressive eyes circling her group, tapping and patting the divers and gently bumping them before rushing away.
The next night’s dive was very different. A massive squid slipped up behind Magill, belting her from behind and grabbing her. The powerful creature snatched her sideways, ripping away her buoyancy hose from her chest and knocking away her light.
After recovering Magill found she had problems knowing which way was up and had difficulty finding the hose to help her stay afloat as she rose to the surface. The squid was long gone.
I just kicked like crazy. The first thing you think of is, Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'm going to survive this. If that squid wanted to hurt me, it could have" said Magill. Other experienced divers have spoken of squid pulling at their masks and gear and roughing them up.
Roger Uzun, an experienced scuba diver and amateur underwater videographer, swam with a swarm of the creatures for around twenty minutes. “They appeared more curious than hostile. They taste with their tentacles and seemed to be touching me and my wet suit to verify if I was edible”.
Divers who swim with the squid are frequently inside a metal cage, or wear chain mail, to prevent being cut by tentacles. The Humboldt squid are dubbed "red devils" for their rust-red coloring and mean streak.
The Humboldt squid are dubbed "red devils" for their rust-red coloring and mean streak. Divers are often inside metal cages, or wear chain mail, to prevent being cut by tentacles.
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