Before reading this story, close your eyes and imagine hugging Ursula from the cartoon The Little Mermaid! Memorize the feeling and without any further ado, let's dive into this super exciting case!
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
British Columbia scuba diver Andrea Humphreys, an expert scuba diver experiencing 12 years of diving and 675 dives worldwide and a schoolteacher, was encountered by such an amazing sea creature. When she, with four other divers, were in three-meter-deep water off Campbell River on Vancouver Island, they found a huge octopus.
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
Typical octopuses are often in their dens, hiding in little cracks, crevices, under rocks, and open logs. This about-three-meter-big octopus was different. The body bigger than a basketball with a tentacle to tentacle swam towards Humphreys with neither scared nor harmful intention.
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
The giant sea creature grabbed her camera and reached its tentacle to touch her body, suck her lips, and hug her. This kind of greeting behavior is rare and mind-blowing. Since giant Pacific octopuses are ranked as highly intelligent, this friendly oceanic buddy seemed to be open-minded and curious about humans. It spent about forty minutes checking Humphreys' camera and mask before saying goodbye.
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
The sudden embrace of the enormous Ursula excited the scuba divers so much that they were urged to share the video clip online. It went viral and helped Humphreys spread the message of protecting sea
animals and keeping the oceans unpolluted. Many internet users praised her for her bravery because they would scream and run fast if they were in her footprint.
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
Humphreys confessed it was a memorable excitement that she wished to witness more. She planned on diving at the place again and hoped to meet the octopus again. Besides, her students envied her and asked her many questions about the encounter. Of course, she could talk about it all day.
Source: Andrea Humphreys/YouTube
Would you like to say hi to this "extrovert" octopus? Sound off in the comment zone below! If you enjoy the story, like and share it with your discovery fellows and check out more gripping posts on our page!