In June 2008, researchers returning in rough weather from a shark-tagging expedition in Monterey Bay noticed a group of birds gathering on the choppy water. As the boat motored over to investigate, the birds scattered, and the researchers spotted the carcass of a giant squid, Architeuthis, floating on the surface.
The animal was more than 25-feet long, and showed evidence of a shark attack. Although the eyes had already been eaten by birds, it was the largest, freshest and most intact specimen of this elusive species ever collected in California.
The story of this discovery and others appear in science writer Wendy Williams' latest book "Kraken — The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid," published this week. Williams, who temporarily moved to Monterey from her home in Massachusetts to research the book, shares the perspectives of many local scientists.
Sean Van Sommeran, a researcher with the Santa-Cruz based Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, was on the 2008 expedition, and was the first to spot the giant squid.
During her research, Williams accompanied Julie Stewart, a Stanford graduate student who works out of the Hopkins Marine Station, as she collected large Humboldt squid at night in Monterey Bay. The squid are 4- to 5-feet long, and scientists catch the animals by lowering light tubes covered with spikes into the water. The light attracts the squid, which then get entangled on the spikes. Humboldt squid are most common in Monterey Bay in the fall and winter. Stewart studies squid migration patterns.
"There is a lot that is still unknown about squid behavior, " Stewart said. "How far off-shore do they swim? Where do they come from and where do they go?"
Monterey Bay is a nutrient-rich environment that supports many diverse forms of marine life. Humboldt squid, which are flexible in what they eat, could be drawn to this environment by the food choices, said Stewart. Van Sommeran noted that the deep canyons in Monterey Bay could hide even more giant squid. Williams says she is glad she came to Monterey to learn the story of some of the captivating creatures that live offshore.
"Of all the fascinating things that I've written about the oceans, writing about squid was the one of the most intriguing," Williams said.