Ocean Critters

[Packo]

Tom,

My niece is at the Presidio getting ready for language school. Is that far from your home? Can you get back to see her? Great pics....but why don't you do that in the summer????? Looks cold and extremely beautiful. My niece just got there....went on a tour of Monterray and from what I heard, loved it! Tell Kath that crackers help.

Pack

[frisco-kid]

Ron: No beer sold aboard, but I probably could have brought a couple with me. I don't think seals are very good eating but I guess used to make excellent coats and hats. They were heavily hunted well into the 20th century.

Pack: It's about an hour and a half south from here. We could certainly go see her for you.
The spring is the best time to see whales during their migration. Many of the cows have calves and tend to take their time going by.

After we got back from the whale watching we took a tour of the bay on a smaller boat. The bay, of course, is alot calmer so Kath did very well on it.

[frisco-kid]

It was a glass bottomed boat, but really didn't see much through the bottom.

[frisco-kid]

The real attractions were on the surface.........

[frisco-kid]

or above. These guys can jump their entire body length out of the water. They can also bite a large salmon in half and go about 25mph on land. Not an animal to under estimate or mess with.

[frisco-kid]

They will climb on just about anything to sleep on or sun themselves from. Not a bad life. Well, except for that being the favorite food of killer whales .

[frisco-kid]

Many of the smaller sailboats try to seal-proof their crafts. It doesn't take many of these guys to get a couple of tons on your boat.

[frisco-kid]

NO VACANCY

[frisco-kid]

Probably the most famous, and endearing, of the sea mammals in the area is the California sea otter. At one time, their fur was one of the most sought after in the world. By just after the turn of the 20th century it was believed that they had been hunted to extinction. Some time in the 1930's a few of them were spotted playing just off the coast of Monterey. They were kept a secret from the public until a law could be passed to protect them. There are now about 1500 of them. They aren't hunted anymore, but they still turn up dead once in awhile shot by fishermen who believe them to be in direct competition with them.

[frisco-kid]

These are good sized animals. A male reaches up to 6ft. long, and weigh up to 75-80lbs. Their main diet is shellfish, including crabs and abalone, which is where the competion with the commercial fishermen comes in. They are one of the few mammals that uses a tool. They place a rock on their chest and use it to break open clams, mussels, crabs, etc.. It's hard to see, but this has one on it's chest.