Shawnigan Lake photographer Laurie Milton was wandering the shores of Cherry Point Beach in Cobble Hill on May 10 doing what she loves: looking for wildlife to photograph.

B次元官网网址淭his is the time of year the osprey come down and go fishing for their flounder and the juvenile eagles and seals and otters and even killer whales are out in the bay, and of course the herons,B次元官网网址� said the Cowichan Valley resident of 30 years.B次元官网网址�

Milton was on the hunt when she came upon something way more than she bargained for: an animal sheB次元官网网址檇 never encountered before and likely wonB次元官网网址檛 again.

B次元官网网址淚 was just walking along with my dog and I could see in the distance this orange grey blob,B次元官网网址� she explained. B次元官网网址淚 honestly thought it was an old pile of rubbish or an old lifejacket buried in the sand.B次元官网网址�

As soon as she got closer, she realized it was not at all as she suspected.

Milton had in fact stumbled upon a deceased Giant Pacific octopus.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never seen anything this big before,B次元官网网址� Milton said. B次元官网网址淚t was a really good size. Its head was two feet across, the legs had to be three-and-a-half to four feet long. The suction cups were bigger than a Toonie.B次元官网网址�

Mesmerized, she paid her respects to the magnificent ocean creature and stood with it a while before carrying on.

B次元官网网址淚t was heartbreaking to see this because it was dead,B次元官网网址� she admitted. From the information sheB次元官网网址檚 gathered, Milton has cause to believe the animal was alive when it first washed up onto the shore.

B次元官网网址淚t was just sad,B次元官网网址� she said, recognizing her great fortune to come across the huge creature. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never seen one. I donB次元官网网址檛 think many people get a chance to unless theyB次元官网网址檙e scuba divers,B次元官网网址� she said.

Since her find, Milton has learned the animals only live three to five years and B次元官网网址� It you can believe it B次元官网网址� they can grow even bigger than the one she saw.

B次元官网网址淎s big as it was, I was surprised to hear that they can grow even bigger than that,B次元官网网址� she said.

While sad it had died, Milton has also learned that it could have just lived out its life cycle.

B次元官网网址淚f it was a female apparently they lay their eggs and then they stay with their eggs until they hatch and then they die,B次元官网网址� she explained.

If thatB次元官网网址檚 the case, the octopus did her job and the ocean will have a new batch of baby Giant Pacific octopuses to keep an eye out for.