Diver Works To Assist Belmont Shore's "Octopuses' Garden"; See Underwater "Littleville" And Mother Octopi
by Joe Segura Special to LBREPORT.com
(Nov. 19, 2014) -- All seems calm and quiet at Alamitos Bay in the Belmont Shore area. The squelas of romping children and the squawks of landing seagulls are reassurances that all is well in the quiet landscape.
But deep under the shoreline water there's a small community of octupi that are fending off large predators, in a fight for survival --- with the assist of scuba diver Roger Hanson.
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Roger Hanson in Bay Shore inset
The retired teacher loves the water. Hanson, who lives in Santa Ana, is close to logging in the past 26 years 5,000 dives off coastal waters, including off San Clemente to San Francisco, and Mexico, the Fiji Islands, Australia, Alaska, British Columbia and Canada.
Hanson, 64, focuses his energies on Alamitos Bay these days. However, diving is not just a hobby -- it is a mission he's had for the last 18 months to save octopuses.
They are most vulnerable during their hatching season, which spans September and October and parts of November. This season, Hanson has encountered about 14 mother octopuses--- some tangled in items discarded in the ocean and others in the marine terrain.
"They prefer a rocky area, where they can use it like a den," he said, adding he's named the haven "Littleville." Below: "Littleville" sign and guardian mermaid protect 12 mother octopi and up to 120,000 babies (eggs.)
Photo via Roger Hanson
The mother octopuses lay up to an estimated 10,000 eggs, but only a few make it to adulthood, Hanson said. Most are victims of predatory fish, mainly the barred sand blast.
