Giant squid did not drag diver to his death
Outdoor magazine will publish apology amid worries of 'Jaws' effect in Hub City
By Darrell Bellaart, Nanaimo Daily NewsApril 9, 2010
Don't believe what you read if it involves a man-eating squid sucking divers to their deaths off Nanaimo's shores.
An outdoor magazine article that said a diver had been killed by giant Humboldt squid is being questioned by the diving community, which says it could negatively harm Nanaimo's dive tourism industry.
The article, titled "Attack of the Giant Squid," appeared in the January-February edition of Western Sportsman.
The story focused on how dangerous the large sea creatures are and included a reference to a diver off Nanaimo being "attacked by several squid and dragged to his death."
Local divers, including Mayor John Ruttan, say it could hurt Nanaimo's growing reputation as a diving destination.
David Webb, editor of the Edmonton-based magazine, plans to publish a correction and an apology, but Ruttan says the damage is already done.
"While the story seems silly, our biggest worry [is] if you're with a dive club in Calgary or Edmonton are you going to come to Nanaimo?" Ruttan said.
Sundown Diving charters operator Ed Singer's biggest worry is about new divers being scared off "like the movie Jaws did" years ago.
The creatures, more common in warmer climates, have become more numerous west of Vancouver Island, but Singer said he knows of no sightings east of the Island. To protect themselves from the creatures' hooked tentacles, divers in Mexico wear chain mesh.
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