a vacation suprise

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On our last beach day in California, I was watching the kids in the ocean.  Uncle Dale, from the shore, said "Is that a sea lion pup?" out in the distant waves.....and I watched it swim closer and closer.  I started pointing at the pup, yelling at my 4 kids in the water so that they would GET OUT!  But they didn't hear me.  Every one on the beach did tho and attracted a crowd.  A genuine creature of the pacific ocean swam to
shore right in front of my eyes.....wow.  I went up close and took lots of photos.  The pup was cut up, maybe from a fight with a predator, maybe from crashing into the rocks....but his eyes were big and sad and hurting.....so I stopped taking photos of him.  Someone on the beach  had cell service and called "mammal control".  Seriously...that's a thing on the coast.  Later, we learned from Uncle Dale that if he is surfing where there are sea lions, he usually leaves and finds a new spot because sea lions are the primary food source for great white sharks.  Lovely.

I had no idea when we chose to take a family vacation to the pacific northwest that there was a remote possibility that a sea lion would casually swim up to shore on the beach while my kids were body surfing on a Tuesday afternoon.....but.....that is why we go on trips, is it not?

We didn't stick around to learn the fate of this pup.  I hope that "mammal control" could help him.....and send him back out to sea where he came from.....he was beautiful and haunting.....the sea is a mystery to me and this guy gave me a bit of understanding.  I wish him well.  

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