Playing With a Wild Octopus

 

I was recently forced (really!) to attend a DARPA workshop held in Hawaii.  Making the best of a bad situation, I had a great time, and here are some of the highlights:

 

 

First, the scenery really looks like the postcards.  Hawaii is easily the most beautiful place I've ever seen.

Second, where else can you see a live Volcano?   This shot was taken during a helicopter tour.
The diving is "incredible".  I can't describe it, other than to say that I'll go back again soon.  Having these kinds of fish flocking around you is really neat.  (Turns out they go for cheese whiz -- who would have figured?)
Here's a giant sea turtle.  These guys are amazingly graceful under the water. 
But here's the start of our show!  This is Chris Barboza, the local dive guide who can definitely find an octopus for you.  Chris can be found at:

Surf 'N Sea
62-595 Kam. Hwy.
Haleiwa, HI 96712
808/637-9887

How good is Chris?  Well, he found that octopus, looking at a scene like this!

So I'd say he's pretty good -- the octopi can change their color *and* texture to look just like rocks.  But Chris has been diving so long that he can look at this scene and find them.  And after he found and caught the the octopus. . .

he gently plucked it off his arm. . .
and handed it to me (actually, I'm such a clod that I fumbled the first hand-off and lost the critter, but Chris promptly found another - - what a guy!).
The second one inked me pretty good!  Anyway, it was a wonderful experience, and I recommend you give Chris a call if you're headed to Hawaii - - playing with a live octopus is a really neat experience!