The only other time I can recall seeing a short-arm octopus was in this same area, the seahorse "pasture".

It has gathered a bunch of goodies to around hits hole and holds them in place for protection/ disguise.

When teased out of its hole, it would blast off a few feet and then work its way back to its hole.

When I dove down and got close, it got real big and red. When I surfaced it went back to matching the sand

and headed back to its hide.

I decided to come back the next day as I assumed it would still be there. I also gave some thought to bringing

it a gift as compensation for harassing it. I wanted to give it something organic and something that might improve

on its protection. I came up with the idea of offering it an Opihi (limpet) shell as I figured it would provide for an

easily maneuvered shield or octo hole cover. Indeed it was there with its assortment of goodies:

I put the Opihi down on top of it as it sucked into its hole. It took some time before it reemerged and I could

see the Opihi shell moving in the interim. I think it was getting a feel for its new toy. I took some video of

the encounter.

In the process of toying with the octopus and pulling out its goodies so that it would have to start over with

its assembly of them I spotted another set of eyes about 3 feet away watching us. It was most likely this

octopuses mate:

While I watched the new octopus, the original one slowly gathered its possessions but not all of them. I did not

get it in a still shot but was clearly captured on video was the octopuses first choice in what it brought back to

its hole after I had pulled all the things away. The first choice was the Opihi shell and I felt real good about my gift!

If I got down an brought my finger towards the octopus, it would duck down while pulling the shell over the top of it,

just as I had imagined it might do.

I took about 20 minutes of video of the two octopuses but edited it down to about 5 minutes worth: