I’m apparently the most excited person around these parts now that the Georgia Aquarium has a giant squid carcass (the head of one, anyway) on display, loaned to it from the Smithsonian. It’s on the second floor of the cold water exhibit right by the beluga whales. Those keen folks among you will realize that that’s exactly where we bunked down during the Georgia Aquarium’s Valentine’s Day sleepover. Those twisted folks among you will further realize that on future sleepovers, you will be able to bunk down right next to a dead giant squid. And in that sleep next to a giant squid corpse, what dreams may come…
Anyway. Sorry. Where was I? Yes. So I’ve got some pics and a vid to share with you, but first of all: I’m a bit alarmed that the people who walked by had no clue why this was cool. You see (or you will in a second), the squid’s been dead a long time and is kept in a container of formalin or something and basically looks like a mummified squid. Somebody actually asked, “Why would you keep something like that?” A few even asked, even after looking at it, “Is it dead?”
Folks, it’s a giant squid. We only got photos of the damn things in their native habitat back in 2004. (We’re talking the big ones, anyway.) That’s how elusive they are. Then apparently a Japanese team caught a small one alive in 2006 and got video of it:
Direct link for the feedreaders.
[ad#shortpost]So here’s me with my new friend:
And here we are checking him out:
Direct link for the feedreaders.
Not a small critter. Of course, the arms are gone, so you can just imagine what adding thirty feet of tentacles would do for that. Gazanga.
And since the Georgia Aquarium has seen fit to promote paranormal bullshit alongside science, I decided I would bring my digital voice recorder and try to do an EVP for the ghost of the giant squid…
…but alas…perhaps it was the babbling of the crowd that drowned it out, but I couldn’t get any weird voices speaking in squiddish. Maybe when you sleep next to it, it’ll visit you in your dreams or something.
Anyway, I love the Aquarium, even when they do goofy shit like that, so I only give them hell as a sort of tough love. But I did find out something cool: if you have kids and stuff and you can’t attend our Gonzo event Saturday night at DragonCon, bring your badges to the Aquarium that night and you can get a discounted ticket. And the Aquarium will be open only to Con-goers. How cool is that? Take the kids there, wear them out, let them sleep in the trunk of your car while you come and party with us later. What a deal!
