Richard Schroeter of Shorewood was out checking his crab pot last week pulling up what he thought was quite a load of crab.

To his surprise, a North Pacific octopus with tentacles nearly 10-feet long was nestled nicely inside the pot enjoying a crab dinner.

Schroeter managed to wrestle the slippery denizen into his rowboat for the trip to shore, where he shared the surprise with his wife Carol.

North Pacific octopi are common in Puget Sound and can grow to 20 feet in deeper waters.

There are many sites in Puget Sound that are favorites for divers wanting to catch a view of them underwater.

Schroeter snapped a few pictures and released his catch by turning over the boat near the shore.

Tim Robinson is the associate publisher of the Ballard News-Tribune.