Diving With Tako In Hawaii – My Octo-Adventure Experience

UPDATED MAR 2020. Tako is the Japanese word for octopus and is commonly used here in Hawaii when referring to these eight-legged creatures of the sea. You may also hear the Hawaiian term He’e used. No matter what you call them, these creatures are simply fascinating. Today I’m sharing about my experience diving with Tako in Hawaii.

Diving With Tako In Hawaii – My Octo-Adventure Experience

Diving with the elusive Tako in Hawaii

It was a dream of mine to see a Tako in the wild up close. But, while I had been living in Hawaii, it was the one animal that had eluded me.

The last thing on my Hawaii Bucket List.

I had been able to find them before. I’d even got a few pictures of them hiding in the reef, but it was usually just a bit of a head or an eye.

Each time I tried to get closer, they pretty much did a tako version of slamming the door in my face. That is, squirting a bunch of ink at me while darting away to hide.

I had even gone out with a couple of expert tako catchers and each time the weather turned on us horribly.

It was beginning to seem like I was cursed and perhaps my dream of holding a tako was not meant to be. But then came one special Saturday morning.

What it’s like

It was after a night of tacos and margaritas so we started off a little slow. Still, my friend Courtney and I ventured out for a quick morning dive in the hopes of finding a tako.

We had the beach to ourselves which could have been a good sign, or could simply have been because it was a chilly morning (by Hawaii’s standards).

Nevertheless, we went into what felt like iceberg laden water.

We swam around for a little while, peering in all the rocks looking for signs of these eight-legged wonders.

Then I heard a loud ‘KATIE I FOUND ONE!’ I swam as fast as I possibly could in the direction of my friend.

We got him out of hiding and guess what? At this moment where I was finally holding one, I got so excited and let it go!

I was just so happy, that my motor skills disappeared.

Luckily, Courtney was a little more on the ball and swam after the tako to get our new friend out of hiding again. Meanwhile, I was still so excited that I held one – even if it was for .035 of a second.

The second time was a little more successful. Courtney was in charge of babysitting –  and he suckered onto her arm like a new accessory.

I wasn’t sure what to expect but it really was a calm little critter who just chilled out on our hands long enough for a couple of photos. It was the coolest experience and I just kept talking to him like I do to my dogs.

‘Mummy is here‘ and ‘I won’t hurt you‘.

Through body language, I noticed that little squishy decided that enough was enough. Once he started to get a little wriggly we said our goodbyes and returned him to the safe haven of the rocks.

The photo above is the perfect capture of what the experience was like for me. All I wanted from this moment was to be able to hold one and have some intimate moments looking at it. I just wanted the time with one to soak in all the details of the body.

That’s exactly how it happened.

A dream come true.

Tips for diving with tako in Hawaii

This was my personal experience diving with tako in Hawaii. If you choose to venture out on your own to do this, then please do so safely.

Always check the weather conditions before getting into the water and if in doubt, don’t go out.

Remember that the tako is a living creature and should be treated as such. If you ‘let it be’ with you and there is a better chance of it staying to create a nice encounter.

If you try to force it or unnecessarily stress the animal you are more likely for it to get away from you and you also risk injury.

Be observant of the body language because it will give you the signs when enough is enough. This is your queue to send it back home.

Swim slowly when you are looking for one and pay attention to all the details in the rocks. Usually, you just see a bit of a body hiding or some rocks piled neatly in front of the coral.

You can eat the tako, though check the diving regulations to make sure you are abiding by the rules as far as where to fish and how big they need to be to take them.

Other guides to help you plan adventures on Oahu

• Waimea Bay Rock Jump – How To Plan A Day Trip To This Famous Beach

• Makapuu Tide Pools – What You Need To Know About Hiking To Them

• Ehukai Pillbox Hike – A Guide To Hiking To The Iconic ‘Peace’ Pillbox

If you found this useful, return the favor by following me on Instagram!