This is what we found at the beach today.
I’ve always been fascinated by octopi, and I’ve always wanted to see one up close and personal. It’s been one of my ambitions. But I never expected to find on at my feet, swimming in the shallows of Llanfairfechan beach on the North Wales coast. And yet here one was, right at my feet.
It must have been swept in with the tide and been stranded in the dips in the sand, unable to find a way out. She kept on coming back to the shore, at times half climbing out of the water. She seemed quite unafraid. She was so beautiful and so miraculously close, I immediately grabbed my camera.
Then I began to get worried. The octopus swam away, but kept on coming back to shore. At one point she was almost touching my feet as she made her way into my shadow out of the sun, and I could have sworn she looked me straight in the eye. So was my miracle really a tragedy after all? Had my octopus come this close because it was too weak to resist the tide? On the promenade above I could hear people arriving with their dogs. I’d watched videos of people gallantly returning stranded dolphins to the open sea. Was I one of those that just stood on the sidelines and took the photographs instead of shooing a stranded creature back to safety?
Just how do you shoo an octopus into deeper waters? One highly intelligent creature from an alien world. With a beak.
Who do you tell? Or should you just let nature take its course?
Luckily for me and the octopus, the tide kept on coming in, and finally she disappeared back into the sea, in the direction of the Menai Straights.
Today, after a long cold spring, a perfect summer’s day appeared out of nowhere. And out of nowhere, I was left with the magical memory of an encounter I shall never forget.
What a great way to get to see what you have been wanting to see. Excellent pictures and glad to hear it made it’s way back out to sea. I would love to live by the ocean.
MaryLynn
Thanks, Marylynn. It was totally amazing. One of those experiences that arrive when you least expect them, and all the more precious for it.
Your photos are fantastic. Makes me wish that Leicester wasn’t so far away from the sea. Really miss it. I love that bit from Milly, Molly, Mandy and May which goes; “For whatever we lose like a you and a me/ its always ourselves we find in the sea.”
Thank you, Lizzie! The moods of the sea are always different. And the unexpected happens …
That’s so cute.xx
Isn’t it amazing Susan! It made me late for my meeting so I wasn’t able to post your book – but I’ll be able to do it tomorrow. I never thought I’d be saying it was an octopus wot did it.
Life is very strange! xxxx
Hi Juliet,
Your book arrived safely, thank you. It’s lovely, I’ve started reading already.xx
What a lovely post. Glad she made it back to the sea okay in the end
Thanks, Katherine. Me too!
It was great to see her head off to freedom at last. I was very late for my meeting. Quite interesting trying to explain that on ….. 
xxx
An extraordinary and beautiful experience Juliet, I just love the last picture, the blurred sand of movement, the long lines of speed and the intelligence of a creature that knows not to thrash about but to patiently wait out the tide, wary of the giant clicking monster observing it, seeing its shared curiosity in her eye, but in no danger this time.
That’s such a moving comment, Claire! It’s still completely fresh in my mind and people are amazed at such an encounter. A very precious moment indeed. x
What a great experience and I so empathise with your anxiety about being a person who stands on the sidelines. Would make a good story (?)
Oh yes, definitely a good story in the making there! Funny how the most intense experiences and the best inspirations often come out of the blue, when you’re not looking for them. Those are the best, I think.
Hi Juliet, what an incredibly cool experience! I’ve never seen an octopus, though I have often referred to them in vain, as in when I shout at my children “How many arms do you think I have? Do you think I’m a **** octopus?” My deepest apologies to the octopus and I am very glad he/she made its way home! :-0
It was truly wonderful, Edith! My octopus was so calm and methodical in getting out of it’s scrape, I’m sure it would be a great help in sorting out the children! I’m sure he/she is nicely tucked into a crevice in the Menai Straights feeding richly on shrimp and lobster. x
http://trishafaye.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/kreative-blogger-award/
Another blogger, from the other side of the planet – Wales, is Juliet Greenwood (http://julietgreenwoodauthor.wordpress.com/) Juliet writes, helps aspiring writers towards being published, and is a reader for the RNA’s ‘New Writer’s Scheme’. In her ‘spare time’, she works on local oral history projects, helping older people tell their stories before they are lost forever.
What a lovely story & pics. We were in Malta one February and found lots of pink jelly fish washed up on the quay by a sea, roughened by the wind. None of them were as lucky as your octopus.
Wow, Penelope, pink jelly fish! That must have been spooky. I’m still trying to find out more about the octopus and just how rare a sighting it was. I was even collaring the wildlife stall at Hay! I’ll let you know if I get an answer.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
