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It is officially Kata Beach diving season for 2023. If you like long surface swims and even longer searches for macro critters than Kata Beach diving is for you!

I say the above because even though we find many Mimics at Kata Beach, it is never just “oh there they are”. It does take time and dedication to going slow over the sandy area’s and taking your time to look out in wide open spans from for the telltale signs of octopi and especially the Mimics. Who can be spooked back into their dens very quickly with the wrong wave of your hand or fin or approaching to fast.

If you go slow and stay down low close to the sand, look out in front of you for odd shaped lumps or the spike like eye stalks. If you follow these 2 simple rules, you have a good chance of finding your own Mimic octopus.

1. Odd shaped lumps: Seriously the larger Mimics from a distance, look like someone has placed an “Aeroplane Jelly” mold in the sand in front of you. They undulate in the current and that is what will catch my eye or attention. Then I stop, wait and observe to see an arm come out of something that confirms the lump is not a lump. Usually they are busy cleaning themselves, so it looks like a windscreen wiper comes out of the sand and wipes the lump for a while signaling an octopus. This is how I spot the larger ones from a distance.

2. Eye stalks: Look closely at this photo and notice those tell-tale spikes on top of the Mimics eyes. Small mimics will almost certainly be in their dens, with only the eyes poking out searching for food or a good time. The little Mimics tend to do this more so than the larger ones I’ve noticed. Scan the sand in front of you for what looks like a literal upside down ball-sack with pointy bits on top. That is how I spot small mimics from a distance.

And yes you want to spot Mimics from a distance because they are very skittish. You need to spot them from a decent distance away and slowly, ever so slowly creep up to them along the sand floor. This lets them get used to you and not find you a threat. This way you will get some nice photos of them. Have your lights and camera ready for the shot, as jerky movements with camera gear if you are close to them will results in the mimic disappearing into their dens. No they do not come back out.

Be prepared to spend 20 minutes looking for them and 10 creeping into position. This is also aimed at patient photographers who do not dig them out of the sand with pointers and other implements, please don’t touch or dig them out!

Sometimes, honestly you can get bored of finding them at Kata, and some days, the larger ones will be out and about doing cool stuff like changing into flounders and skating across the sea floor, but I would say 90% of the time, we find them sitting on or in their dens, semi exposed, but always ready to retreat.

So be kind to them and go slow and easy if you want to get some cool close ups :)