video
The First Encounter
Our first encounter with an octopus during the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition took place on Dive 04 at a depth of 2,405 meters (1.5 miles). Identified as Graneledone boreopacifica, this deep-sea octopod was not in a hurry as it slowly made its way across the seafloor at a "Trinidad Slump" off the coast of Oregon. This species has been observed by scientists at MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) brooding their eggs for 4.5 years — longer than any other known animal.