So happy to have had another opportunity to free dive with my favorite expedition family in pristine South Pacific waters while working on the National Geographic Orion. A liaison with the clear underwater world included my dream of being able to film a Pacific Day Octopus (Octopus cyanea) as it became comfortable with me and explored its shallow reef home. So much to discover and appreciate about the ocean amidst a culture deeply connected to and respectful of its vastness. Indeed, the eight tentacles of an octopus symbolized important navigation routes connecting key South Pacific islands with Raiatea being at the center.