For the last week, Humboldt squid, possible man eaters and one of the largest squid in the ocean, have been grouping in large numbers off the coast of Southern California. The reason, they are following the swarms of schooling bait fish which have been migrating south.
Photo found on MexFish.com's Website
Not much is known about the Humboldt Squid or Dosidicus gigas, a cephalopod and member of the Ommastrephidae Family, since it lives in depths up to 2,000 feet. They have a reputation in sailor lore as a sea monster that can drag a man overboard and to the blackest depths of the abyss. It’s a cannibal that has no reservation about eating one of its own kind, it’s eyes huge, blood is blue, it carries a cadre of deadly weapons all over it’s body and it may well be the most ruthless, cunning predators living below the surface of the water.
I’ve seen a few documentaries on the giant squid, but never encountered them in the wild. I love the light show they give off to communicate or some other still unknown purpose.
The best place to see them is the Sea of Cortez in the 25 mile area off the coast of Santa Rosalia, in the California Baja.