Aliens and Chain Mail

My first experience with Humboldt Squid came courtesy of the BBC and from the safe confines of a Shark cage. The Discovery Channel wanted more……

………..and more with Humboldt Squid means only one thing or more accurately one person; Scott Cassell.  Scott is an accomplished diver and ex special forces officer, but more importantly he is the only man on the planet regularly interacting and investigating these animals underwater.

To quote wikipedia:

The Humboldt Squid (Dosidicus gigas), also known as Jumbo Squid, Jumbo Flying Squid, or Diablo Rojo (Red Devil), is a large, aggressive predatory Squid found in the waters of the Humboldt current in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Humboldt Squid are carnivores that move in schools of up to 1200 individuals. They swim at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h, 13 knots) propelled by water ejected through Hyponome (siphon) and by two diamond shaped fins. Their tentacles bear suckers lined with sharp teeth with which they grasp prey and drag it towards a large, sharp beak.

The Humboldt Squid is one of the most impressive predators I have had the pleasure to get up close and personal with; fast, intelligent, ferocious, cannibals.

Scott recommended the use of Neptunic Shark suits during dives with the squid. The Discovery Channel were insistent that we do everything possible. To film the squid in pitch blackness during nocturnal feeding.

Having never worn a Neptunic Shark suit before. Scott insisted I try one in a pool, prior to dropping in on hungry squid and operating a camera. Not being one to argue with an ex special forces officer, I was poolside at 0700 hours, i had ironed my shirt, polished my shoes and you could bounce penny off my well made bed!

Getting into the suit is a little slow and would be hard work on a moving boat in high seas. It is a wonderfully made piece of equipment, I felt just like Sir Lancelot, except my round table was plastic and had tecate written across it.

Scott seemed to think that an experienced diver like myself would get used to the suit very quickly. Many people have regretted a statement like that, where I am concerned. However, Scott was right, but it had nothing to do with my experience, any novice diver could cope with a Neptunic Shark suit, 5-15 mins in the pool and I was ready. I was a little worried about operating a camera wearing 5mm neoprene gloves, covered in stainless steel gloves, but although not as responsive as bare hands operating the camera, no worse than working in snow wearing thermal ski gloves.

I would love to tell you more about the ground breaking work we completed with top secret cameras and other famous squid biologists……..but I would never work for Discovery again….your just going to have to wait for the aliens to invade your tv screen.