Our plan was to contribute to the octopus census.  Our hope was to have a unique experience.  For me this was only the second time in 1093 dives that I have had a GPO out walking around for considerable time. 

 

On the first dive Pieter and Ed did the circut from the steps, down the rope, head north to the junkyard and up on the north side of Salty's with a short search in the eelgrass.  We found 3 octocs on the first dive.  Two GPO's in holes and one red octo out and crawling around.

 

For the second dive Gary S. and Dave D. joined us.  We entered on the north side of Salty's since other divers had said they saw a GPO "out".  Gary found the GPO that was out, and we followed him (we are guessing it was a him from observing tentacles).  He "strolled" around at a depth of 65 feet for 20 minutes while we hovered and followed the whole time.  We interacted gently a couple times by putting a finger or two in a suction cup.  The octopus gently held on.

 

The octo mantle was slightly larger than a basketball and we estimated tentacles of 6 or so feet long from the center.  After 20 or so minutes we needed to go up and we left him still strolling in the vicinity of where we found him.

 

On the way up we found another snailfish and I shot more video and a couple stills.

 

Water temp was about 45, visibility about 15 to 20.  It was a great pair of dives.