bledito
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killer squid
was watching finding the kracken on tv. they documented squid attacking divers in the sea of cortez and a increase in the number of these squid. so
the question is is there a danger of being attacked in shallower waters, beach areas?are there times when these squid are more prevalent in the area?
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Mulegena
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I've been out on squid boats in the Sea of Cortez. I'm a PADI certified divemaster with 8 years experience diving the waters in the Sea of Cortez. My
husband is a professional free-diver in the Sea of Cortez; he's not a squidder, btw. I've been on journeys with Scott Cassell and his chain-mail suits
here in the Sea of Cortez. I've spoken with divers and film crew asking the very same questions as the poster of this thread. They've been down here
and have been unsuccessful in gathering any film footage of these creatures; and they've asked me to contact them "when the squid show up".
This doesn't make me an "expert" on squids. Frankly I don't think anybody is, mainly because they can be elusive and often don't show up when and
where they're expected. The ones that are being fished here live down in deep waters, 800-1000 feet. They surface to feed; you can see their water
spouts when they surface. Yes, they have a beak rather like a parrot. Yes, a squid snaps when they eat or are in a defensive posture to protect their
lives from predation. No, they're not actively aggressive, and they are only about 1-2 feet long total.
To my knowledge no scientific cumulative studies have been done to determine how many squid are in the Sea of Cortez, basically because these animals
live so deep and are very elusive; also the squid canneries here aren't required to do such research. Therefore, there's little restriction by the
squidderies that operate out of Santa Rosalia. The amount of squid taken out of our waters here is significantly less in recent years than it was a
decade ago. Just a few years ago it was so pretty to walk along the malecon of Sta. Rosalia at night. The squids boats would be out there by the
hundreds each with an on-board light making the bay like a little city lit up by candle light. Sad, it would appear to me that the Sea of Cortez is
loosing this beautiful, mysterious creature to human greed and predation.
There is a chance of encountering squid in the evening waters, but I never have, even in night dives. They are there, but I doubt they'd be
aggressive.
You do have a chance of being whacked on the foot by a stingray. They're prevalent in these warm waters. Hot water soak and check for a barb is the
remedy for this. Also there are jellyfish and tiny micro-organisms in the water that produce a generalized sting where they touch your skin. The
remedy for this is plain vinegar topically.
I've never heard of anyone encountering the mythical sea creature The Kracken here in the Sea of Cortez. Your chances of encountering it are perhaps
0%, but your imagination is free to run wild.
Come and enjoy swimming and diving the Sea of Cortez. Let your spirit and sense of adventure run free, but don't be afraid of the water.
"Raise your words, not your voice. It's rain that grows flowers, not thunder." ~Rumi
"It's the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~ Aristotle
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durrelllrobert
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mulegena
I've been out on squid boats in the Sea of Cortez. I'm a PADI certified divemaster with 8 years experience diving the waters in the Sea of Cortez. My
husband is a professional free-diver in the Sea of Cortez; he's not a squidder, btw. I've been on journeys with Scott Cassell and his chain-mail suits
here in the Sea of Cortez. I've spoken with divers and film crew asking the very same questions as the poster of this thread. They've been down here
and have been unsuccessful in gathering any film footage of these creatures; and they've asked me to contact them "when the squid show up".
This doesn't make me an "expert" on squids. Frankly I don't think anybody is, mainly because they can be elusive and often don't show up when and
where they're expected. The ones that are being fished here live down in deep waters, 800-1000 feet. They surface to feed; you can see their water
spouts when they surface. Yes, they have a beak rather like a parrot. Yes, a squid snaps when they eat or are in a defensive posture to protect their
lives from predation. No, they're not actively aggressive, and they are only about 1-2 feet long total.
To my knowledge no scientific cumulative studies have been done to determine how many squid are in the Sea of Cortez, basically because these animals
live so deep and are very elusive; also the squid canneries here aren't required to do such research. Therefore, there's little restriction by the
squidderies that operate out of Santa Rosalia. The amount of squid taken out of our waters here is significantly less in recent years than it was a
decade ago. Just a few years ago it was so pretty to walk along the malecon of Sta. Rosalia at night. The squids boats would be out there by the
hundreds each with an on-board light making the bay like a little city lit up by candle light. Sad, it would appear to me that the Sea of Cortez is
loosing this beautiful, mysterious creature to human greed and predation.
There is a chance of encountering squid in the evening waters, but I never have, even in night dives. They are there, but I doubt they'd be
aggressive.
You do have a chance of being whacked on the foot by a stingray. They're prevalent in these warm waters. Hot water soak and check for a barb is the
remedy for this. Also there are jellyfish and tiny micro-organisms in the water that produce a generalized sting where they touch your skin. The
remedy for this is plain vinegar topically.
I've never heard of anyone encountering the mythical sea creature The Kracken here in the Sea of Cortez. Your chances of encountering it are perhaps
0%, but your imagination is free to run wild.
Come and enjoy swimming and diving the Sea of Cortez. Let your spirit and sense of adventure run free, but don't be afraid of the water.
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Maybe they are not aggressive but they are cannibals.
[Edited on 8-22-2013 by durrelllrobert]
Bob Durrell
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
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Mulegena,
2 to 3 feet ???
I've caught 6 to 7 footers right of Coronado many times.
Fished for squid with my friend Alfredo at night here in Loreto a few times and they indeed were mainly in the 2 to 3 feet category.
Most fun was to direct the spout they emit when brought to the surface at your buddies. Soaked in no time.
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mulegejim
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Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: San Clemente, CA/Mulege, BCS
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We have pulled up quite a few in the 30/50 pound range outside of Mulege down fairy deep... 500 feet or so. We cut them up for bait. I don't think I
would want to be caught in a hungry audience of those....pretty impressive beak on them...you don't want to get a finger caught in one. Jim
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bajagrouper
Senior Nomad
Posts: 964
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rincon de Guayabitos, Nayarit, Mexico
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Mood: happy and retired
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A few years while staying at Punta Chivato Hotel we went out of the room to look at the sea when we arrived and we saw on the shore below a mantel of
a squid that measured 37" long...no tentacles were found.....
I hear the whales song
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willardguy
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Registered: 9-19-2009
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the megalodon's get most of the biggies!
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