Fishermen in the Caribbean have told and passed down stories of Giant Scuttles (Bahamian for octopuses) for hundreds of years. They say that these gigantic cephalopods roam the deep ocean waters and fear nothing. They are also reported to live in sea caves and around the blue holes of Bimini Island (much like that of the Lusca).

In the early 1900′s (exact date not documented), the commissioner of Grand Bahama Island had a giant scuttle encounter.

When he was about 12 years old, he had been fishing with his father off Andros Island. His father had hooked something, which he originally assumed to be rocks or some other kind of debris on the bottom. However, he could still pull up his line, but only slowly and with much stress. Finally, at the bottom of the line they saw a gigantic octopus. It detached itself from the hook and swam up with great speed towards the surface. When it reached the top, it clinged to the bottom of their boat. Fortunately, it quickly dropped from their boat after being prodded away with oars and hooks and sank back away into the ocean. The event had taken place so long ago that the commissioner would not estimate its size. 

Fishermen, pearl divers, and other oceanic workers in the Bahamas and other nearby regions claim that these giant scuttles are only dangerous if they can reach a boat and get two tentacles wrapped around each side (forming a vice like grip) and another one firmly planted back on the ocean floor. They also claim that if the giant scuttle can get into this position, it can use its other arms to grab at occupants within the boat and drag them back into the ocean where it then drowns them. Strangely enough though, the giant scuttles are not known to be dangerous towards divers or free swimmers. Perhaps this is because the cephalopod does not consider a single human (which is significantly smaller than a boat) to be threatening enough on its own to warrant a fight.

Island tales state that this giant cephalopod has a 100ft to 200ft tentacle span and only live in deep water, but would come into shallower water if they were sick or dying (globsters anyone?).

- The Pine Barrens Institute

*Image Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxhj-eeT7h0