PORT ANGELES — The once-topiary octopus has turned to stone.

The octopus, which took its seat at the entrance to City Pier in 1999, was covered with a mosaic of rocks to replace the dying plant life that once covered the frame.

“The irrigation system had been severed, and it was just sitting there dead,” said Marsha Robin, a member of the Port Angeles Soroptimist-Jet Set club.

The Soroptimists funded the original project last decade, and took the octopus under their wing once more two years ago to have it repaired.

The sculpted sentinel of the Arthur D. Feiro Marine Life Center was moved in the fall of 2006 to a spot behind the former Odd Fellows building, 314 W. First St.

Artist Maureen Wall, who owns the Odd Art Gallery in the building, headed up the project in which the octopus’ frame was filled with expanding foam and covered with multicolored rocks.

“I’ve spent over 200 hours working on the octopus,” Wall said.