I Like Mine Fried

We all know there be monsters in the watery deeps. Seems like they've come up to the shallows recently.

[BBC News] Scuba divers off the Californian city of San Diego are being menaced by large numbers of jumbo squid.

The beaked Humboldt squid, which grow up to 5ft (1.5 metres) long, arrived off the city's shores last week. Divers have reported unnerving encounters with the creatures, which are carnivorous and can be aggressive.

[Guardian] The so-called Humboldt squid, named after the current in the eastern Pacific, have been known to attack humans and are nicknamed "red devils" for their rust-red colouring and mean streak. Divers wanting to observe the creatures often bait the water, use a metal viewing cage or wear chainmail to avoid being lashed by the creature's tentacles.

The squid, which is most commonly found in deep water from California to the bottom of south America, hunts in schools of up to 1,200 individuals, can swim up to 15 mph and can skim over the water to escape predators.

Generally, an animal will grow to fit in its environment. You put a fish in a tank and it can't get bigger than that. You want bigger fish, you get a bigger tank. You want giant fish ... you go to the ocean (average depth over 9000 feet).

For me, that's a good reason to stay out. When your food is big enough and carnivorous enough to eat you -- all bets are off. I like my squid on a plate with some light breading, not the other way around.