Eledone Cirrhosa

I'm still excited. I nearly decided to go swimming this morning but decided to go a wee walk with my camera instead. The sunrise was wonderful, the air was still and it wasn't even too cold. I had a wee chat with a man in Starbank Park, saw a cormorant on a post of the disused pier and then wandered down to the beach.

I was in my favourite place, a peaceful dream world of my own thoughts, walking along the waterline. A heron was fishing on the rocks....but out of reach of my long lens. 

Then I saw it, a fleshy looking ball thing.....on inspection, I saw that it was an octopus. Since my trip to the Maldives a few years ago, I've developed a great love for these creatures. I dived down watching a black one, and it was watching me back. We were as inquisitive as each other. I realised that we had a lot in common.....similar bald heads, inquisitive to our surroundings but not always needing to interact with other creatures  and we like to hide away in our little holes sometimes. I will still get on tattooed on my arm....maybe this January. They're such beautiful creatures.

Anyway, on closer inspection, I saw he was breathing, his lungs going in and out quite rapidly and him watching me intently. But the tide was about 3 feet away and I was worried he may perish. Mindful that their skin is sensitive, containing toxins, and that they can crush crabs with their jaws, I didn't want to touch him directly. Therefore, I headed over to see if any of the open-water swimmers had a plastic bag that I could pick him up with.

Leszek and Jo were there, I managed to get a bag from someone else and then they followed me back to see the octopus. Everyone was excited. Fortunately, the waves had started to wash over him and we decided to leave him.

I then went a walk along the harbour wall, saw godwits in the mudflats in the harbour and then looked at my watch.....hmmm better get home for work. I decided to have one last check....and found the waves had washed the octopus further up the beach. I could see a lesser black backed gull on the rocks.....and he wouldn't need salt n pepper to munch the octopus.  Rather, I picked him up from behind, mindful of his jaws and then waded into the sea (I have waterproof boots). I placed him gently in the water, and after a few moments of finding his legs, he was off. I walked home happy that I had helped my fav sea creature. It was a very special morning.

Then it was work. Not an easy day but I did a group tutorial and met a few other students online. For all the ills in the world and in HE just now, I do love my job and the students. 

Now an easy ride on Zwift and a long weekend!