Monday, October 29, 2012

Monster Monday Oct 29 - The Kraken



The Kraken  
by Lord Alfred Tennyson

Below the thunders of the upper deep;
Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides: above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,
From many a wondrous grot and secret cell
Unnumbered and enormous polypi
Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages and will lie
Battening open huge sea worms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.




The depths of the Atlantic Ocean are filled with all kinds of strange creatures.  The Atlantic Giant squid (Archiethis dux) is one one the scariest looking creatures on the entire animal kingdom.  The world's largest known invertebrate these torpedo-shaped carnivorous mollusks have 8 arms covered in razor sharp suckers, 2 tentacles specially designed to draw its prey in, 3 hearts and 1 beak, they also have the ability to change their skin colour to blend into their surroundings and can release black ink to blind and confuse their prey.  Their enormous eyes are larger than a human's head - the largest of any animal living or extinct, and if that's not enough the can lurk at depths deep enough the water pressure can crush a submarine!


Photo: Life sized replica of the giant squid that landed in Glover's Harbour in 1878. The body was 6.1m (20 feet) long with a tentacle measureing 10.7m (35 feet).


In the past 220 years remnants of over 60 giant squid have washed up on Newfoundland shores!

***  sorry my post didn't appear until late today - I had it scheduled but it didn't show up***

27 comments:

  1. No worries! GLad to see your post up!

    Great monster. And you can never go wronf by quoting Tennyson.

    Glad you could participate in my bloghop, I really appreciate it!

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    1. it was a great bloghop! thanks for having me :)

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  2. A real monster is very scary. I always watch the nature and science channel shows about Giant Squid. They are fascinating.

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  3. This one is both myth and real - scary!

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    1. that's what makes it scary - the reality element

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  4. I've seen several versions of the Kraken that would makes ones knees shiver.

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  5. The Kraken is so cool, the fact that there's actually an aspect of reality to the creature, which I'd never heard of before, kind of chills me to the bone haha!

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  6. The poem cannot be beaten--Tennyson said it well: Fear the Kracken. And the giant squid!

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  7. Reality is often stranger than anything we can make up.

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  8. When I was living in San Diego about 3 years ago, Giant Squids were washing up on the beach. I don't remember why. Nice monster choice.

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  9. Those things creep me out big time. Esp. their beak/teeth things. It's just soooo unnatural and bizarre...A real sea monster.

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    1. they squirt ink, swim backwards, have long tentacles...no matter which end you get - they're scary

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  10. Who on earth has never heard of a Kracken?

    Just amazing when those giant squid wash up on shore or are caught by fishermen.

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    1. I think there are 5 in museums here on the island - I do not want to encounter a real one

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  11. Awesome monster--I'm sorry I missed this blog hop!

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  12. I admit, they aren't pretty, but they are delicious!!!!!!!

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  13. I love Tennyson.

    I hope I never come across a giant squid.

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