Surreal Moment Shows a Clingy Octopus Refusing to Let Go of a Diver’s Hand

In the unfathomable depths of the seas, mysterious creatures are waiting for you to come and have some fun. You will notice that this enigmatic world is not always creepy. The creatures may not look entirely inviting, but they will welcome you with much love and surrealness. But beware, some of them might get too clingy. In summer this year, Hurgha divers (@hurghadivers) ventured on a scuba diving trip in the Red Sea. While they explored the colorful world hidden under the waves, a black, spotted octopus caught sight of one of the divers and became clingy. “You just made a clingy new friend underwater,” they wrote in the caption.

The dive was organized in partnership with @scuba.earth and involved a group of divers dipping into the mysterious depths. The abovementioned footage, likely filmed around a rainbow reef, shows two divers, clad in black diving suits, underwater goggles, flippers, and diving gear. The video shows them floating above a bed of corals, seagrasses, limestone polyps, and clumps of colorful, glassy sponges. Entangled in a cluster of grasses is an octopus with glowing yellow spots peppered over its flesh.

The octopus seems to be clinging to one of the divers by wrapping one of its tentacles around his hand. With powerful wags of fingers, the diver tries to say no to the octopus, but it keeps on latching onto his body. “One of the most incredible interactions I’ve had underwater — this curious octopus decided to come say hi and check out my camera and diving computer,” he described in the caption.

While one of its tentacles gripped the diver’s thumb, another tried to coil around his wrist and snatch his diving camera. And like a mom scolding her kid for having done something inappropriate, the diver keeps on pointing his finger at the blue-bloodied creature, telling it to stop. But at the end of the day, it gave him an unforgettable memory for a lifetime. “Encounters like this remind me why I love the ocean so deeply. Respect the reef, and it gives you moments like these,” he wrote.

Octopuses, he explained, are “insanely intelligent, with problem-solving skills, short-term memory, and yes, three hearts.” And this video is a piece of evidence that they can also be highly “clingy” yet “friendly.” Referring to his finger wag, a viewer called @saltwatersoultravels commented, “He got scolded.” @nat.younas put it another way, “He is just shaking hands with you, welcoming you to his underground universe!” @lagunaoceantech said, “If he wants more friends, I would like to submit an application.”

The episode paints an anecdote, not just for divers but for everyone. When you decide to delve into the mysterious depths of a sea, you may encounter pestering and clingy creatures, but after every dive, you will have discovered a new friend. “Not sure if I found the octopus… or if the octopus found me,” said the diver.

You can follow HurghaDivers (@hurghadivers) on Instagram to catch a glimpse into diving adventures.

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