419 Dive Log Australasia AUGUST 2026

This little fella was resting quietly with no intention of moving away. As soon as I approached, the blue rings lit up. It is almost impossible to photograph a Southern Blue-ringed Octopus without triggering its warning display.

For underwater photographers, the Southern Blue ringed Octopus is both tempting and challenging. The blue rings are spectacular, and it is natural to want the full warning display. But the most ethical image is not one created by provoking the animal. A relaxed or naturally active blue-ringed octopus tells a better story than a frightened one. It shows the animal as it actually lives: hidden, cautious, alert and perfectly suited to Port Phillip Bay’s shallow marine world. Good photography should not require touching, chasing, blocking, prodding or forcing the animal into open water. The best approach is patience. Watch where it wants to go. Give it space. Let the behaviour unfold. A hunting octopus, a brooding female, a hidden animal just visible among rubble, or a calm individual moving across the sand is far more valuable than a stressed warning display created for a camera.

The Southern Blue-ringed Octopus deserves respect, but not fear-driven exaggeration. It is dangerous if mishandled, but it is not aggressive. It is common enough in Victorian waters to be part of the local marine ecosystem, yet secretive enough that many divers will never see one clearly. That contradiction is what makes it such a strong subject. It is tiny but powerful. Beautiful but serious. Common but rarely noticed. Short-lived but highly specialised. A hunter, a mother, a master of camouflage, and one of the most remarkable small animals in Port Phillip Bay. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freediving.visions Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vadim.belakhov YouTube: https://youtube.com/@freediving.visions Email: vbelakhov@gmail.com

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Dive Log Australasia #419 August‘26

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