The splash is deep and dark...the sound of black. A heavy weight ker-plunk, like a lead buoy going straight to the bottom. Our 30,000 pound boat
rocks; it was that close. Seconds later,
there’s a loud tenor barking, the sound of a dysfunctional rubber bicycle horn
so close that the cats dive under the comforter, their survival instincts on
high alert.
Many protected species live along the California coast. This means that they can be seen en masse. Tonight’s visitor is a California Sea Lion. Males reach 850 pounds, females grow to 220
pounds. They are very social creatures known for their intelligence,
playfulness, and noisy barking. There are seven of them piled on the dock and
on each other and one is lounging on the swim platform of a powerboat. They bark in loud conversation when they
think no one is around. Upon first sight
of a human nearby, they slide or flop into the water, swimming, frolicking,
chasing each other with summersaults as if they had not a care in the
world.
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