Travelogue: Swimming with Sea Lions in Baja
Aug 21st, 2009 by wwftravel
Photo by Pat Stanislaski
WWF’s Marsea Nelson explored Baja, Mexico, earlier this year. She talked to WWF Travel about her experience swimming with sea lions one afternoon:
On the final day at sea during my cruise of Baja California in Mexico, I visited Los Islotes, a well-known haul out and breeding site for California sea lions. The site is within Espiritu Santo Archipelago National Park in the Sea of Cortez.
From the ship, I could see dozens of sea lions resting and sleeping on the red rocks of the island. The members of this thriving colony moved their hefty bodies slowly and awkwardly as they dove in and climbed out of the water. Sea lions are pinnipeds, or fin-footed mammals, and are distinguishable from seals by their external ear flaps and long front flippers.
When an expedition leader announced it was time to snorkel, I put on my wetsuit, donned a snorkel and fins and boarded a Zodiac that took us closer to the rocks. I went for the plunge. The sea was a little chilly—the waters off Mexico aren’t warm year-round, despite the common perception that they are—and the wetsuit was a definite necessity. But I adjusted rather quickly to the temperature.
What startled me even more was seeing a huge bull swimming immediately below me the second I hit the water. I screamed and then laughed. I felt so small—bulls typically weigh about 660 pounds. He commanded authority as he watched over his harem. (A male sea lion’s family group can include as many as 15 females.)
It was surreal to be so out of my element and in the company of such an amazing creature.
Before long, a group of playful, young sea lions came to check me and my fellow snorkelers out. They were graceful and effortless as they swam—a marked contrast from their lumbering movements on the rocks above. The youths seemed as fascinated by us as we were by them, and they were so frisky! The sea lions would speedily swim right up to my face—close enough to practically count every whisker on their dog-like faces—then veer off at the last possible second. They seemed to enjoy this mischievous game—I felt like they were saying “Gotcha!” as I envisioned narrowly avoided collisions.
At one point I saw a young sea lion twirling around me. I decided to try and mirror its movements. The sea lion stayed close as I arched and dove and circled around as he did. Eventually I’d have to come up for air but then I’d dive back down to continue our dance.
A marine mammal and a land mammal, connecting for a moment.
Join WWF in Baja California on one of three voyages:
Copper Canyon and the Sea of Cortez, January 2-10, 2010
Baja California: Among the Great Whales, January 23-30, 2010
Baja California: Where the Desert Meets the Sea, April 11-18, 2010
