Smart Penguin

This smart little penguin knows exactly what to do when it's being chased by Killer Whales.

5 Amazing Octopus Videos

I've been diving for many years, and there are many interesting animals to watch underwater. Some people dream of observing sharks; Others prefer dolphins or Sea Turtles; Some would kill for a Frogfish. Me - I'm an octopus lady. Give me an Octopus and my dive is complete. They are extremely interesting, and I can watch them for hours - if they let me.

There are around 300 recognized octopus species, which is over one-third of the total number of known cephalopod species. Octopuses are highly intelligent, probably more intelligent than any other order of invertebrates. In laboratory experiments, octopuses can be readily trained to distinguish between different shapes and patterns.

Octopuses have also been observed in what some have described as play: repeatedly releasing bottles or toys into a circular current in their aquariums and then catching them. Octopuses often break out of their aquariums and sometimes into others in search of food. They have even boarded fishing boats and opened holds to eat crabs.

YouTube has many interesting underwater video clips. This time, I have collected 5 amazing Octopus videos - with events and stories you definitely don't see every day.

Here they are:

#5
Octopus Vs. Bird

What does an octopus do when a bird annoys it?

#4
Can you Spot the Octopus?

Octopuses have amazing camouflage abilities. Watch this clip and try to spot the hiding octopus. Can't see it? Wait - it will reveal itself.




#3
The Indonesian Mimic Octopus

A good friend of mine showed me this clip a while back, and it's still amazes me. Talk about camouflage and mimicry! This octopus is AMAZING.




#2
An Octopus that Opens Bottles

An octopus in New-Zealand has unlocked her special powers by opening bottles to earn her lunch.




#1
Octopus Vs. Shark

Who is really on the top of the food chain? Who is the strongest, smartest animal? The mighty shark or the giant octopus? You might be surprised.






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My First Frogfish

I've been a certified scuba diver since 1992. I have dived in Israel, Sinai and Seychelles - and saw many interesting things underwater. I'm not a spoiled diver. Just give me salty and calm water, and I'll have my fun. Still, it's always fun to discover and see new creatures underwater. Yesterday, while diving in Eilat, I saw my first ever Frogfish.

We actually went to Eilat to try and get a glimpse of the Whale Shark, that's been hanging out there for a few weeks. No luck in that department, but we still had lots of fun and 6 dives in two days - which is cool.

So, here's my first ever Frogfish (more pictures on Flickr):

An Amazing Bird

Probably the Best Way to End the Year

Divers always enjoy meeting interesting animals underwater. Personally, I don't wait for the big ones (like turtles or sting-rays). For me, even staring at some amazingly-purple Fridman's Dottyback, is a lovely experience. You can see very interesting things in every dive. They don't have to be big or exotic, you just need to open your eyes and LOOK.

Still, there are times in which mother nature grants you her favor, and you get an experience of a lifetime. And this is what happened to me at the end of 2007.

A diving safari in Ras Mohammed, Sinai. December 29th, early morning, first dive of the day. On our way to the so-called Sarah H. wreck, we encounter an amazing group of about 40 dolphins. We quickly jump into the water and spend a magnificent quarter of an hour with these incredible creatures. Words can hardly describe the feeling, and not even this video can explain how utterly lucky we have been. Still, this is how it looked like, and it is probably the best way to end 2007:

Amazing Video of Sperm Whales and their Cub

I just came across this marvelous video, showing Sperm Whales and their cub in Guam:

This video made me think that maybe there is still hope for us, and for nature. Maybe we CAN fix the damage we are doing to planet earth. It's amazing to see that beauty endures, despite of everything we do.

About Sperm Whales

The Sperm Whale is the largest of all toothed whales and is the largest toothed animal alive, measuring up to 18 metres (60 ft) long. The Sperm Whale is exceptional for its very large head, particularly in males, which is typically one-third of the animal's length.

Sperm Whales, along with bottlenose whales and elephant seals, are the deepest-diving mammals in the world.

They are believed to be able to dive up to 3 km (1.9 miles) in depth and 90 minutes in duration to the ocean floor. More typical dives are around 400 m (437 yards) in depth and 30–45 minutes' duration and generally move in a northerly direction. They can dive two miles deep with one gulp of air for two hours. They carry three tonnes of blood which holds enough oxygen to help it achieve its diving depth.

Seven Days of Sun, Sea and Scuba

I have been an avid Scuba Diver for the past 15 years. The sea and its mysteries have always fascinated me. When I was about 10 years old, my father took me to Taba, Sinai, and sent me out with an instructor for an intro-dive. It was an amazing experience, and I was hooked for life. The minute I stepped out of the water I knew - I wanna do THIS!

I waited impatiently until I was 15 and was allowed to undergo a diving course. Got my 2 stars and started diving like a dehydrated fish. I enjoyed almost every dive, no matter the conditions or the amount of fish and corals visible.

Lately I haven't been diving nearly enough. Work, life and excuses - you know the drill. That's why I have decided on a week-long vacation of nothing BUT diving. Courtesy of Mr. Ilan Vered and the lovely SeaQueen 1, I had one of the best weeks of my life - Seven days of Sun, Sea and Scuba in the southern parts of Egypt.

The dives were nothing short than amazing. We managed 3-4 dives per day, including some very cool night dives. My two personal favorites were Panorama Reef and Jackfish Alley. Panorama is wonderfully rich and full of life. The reef is very healthy, the visibility was very good and it felt like swimming inside a dream.

Elphinstone presented very interesting and challenging dives. Some of the people saw sharks, but I didn't manage a glance at these amazing creatures. I saw one shark, White-Tip, small and sleeping, in a cave in Abu-Dabab reef. That was actually good enough for me... I suppose that the fact that I have never dived in Egypt or Sinai before (except for that intro, 20 years ago), added a lot to the fun element. Everything was new to me.

Jackfish Alley was the last dive on the last day, and it was truly the best way to end this fantastic journey. I officially declare it the sweetest dive I have ever experienced. Thanks to Amir Gur, our wonderful and super-professional Instructor, we got to dive through a special cave, which was a very unique experience.

This little post doesn't do any justice to this cool vacation. Some of my amateurish pictures in flickr might help to convey my impressions better, but nothing can REALLY describe the glorious feeling of freedom, nature, beauty and peacefulness.

To add to the fun, the people that were on board the ship were very cool and fun to be with. The instructors were very good and friendly, and the crew gave us 5-star service.

I hope to do this again soon. To top everything else, I got to seriously practice my underwater photography skills (Thanks again, Amir, for the tips and advice) - and I finally managed to get some reasonable pictures:

Well, I guess it's back to work now. It ain't easy getting back to the day-to-day routine, let me tell you. I really miss the sun, the diving and the company. Until next time - the sea will remain in my dreams.