Monterey Conditions in October

[Robert.Field]

Hi,
I moved from Hickory, NC to Socal, but I'm gonn go dive in Moneterey too. I had a question about breakwater. The seals, do they bite or something, not paranoid, actually opposite I'm excited to go, I will be diving by myself and I don't want to be the center of there attention, I just want to get some snap shots of them.

Thanks

I've never heard of them biting (this may just not be ignorance) though they are wild animals, so I wouldn't put a hand in their mouths.

They are definitely playful -- I love it. I once spent over an hour playing hide-and-seek with one. I've had them, from out of nowhere, buzz me more times then I can count. Once a pair of them tried to remove my snorkle and hood. A mom and baby followed my wife and I around for a whole dive. The mom periodically pulling on my wife's pink fins. Then, on the surface, while rolling her tank onto the kayak, there was a sharp tug down -- hanging off her fin was the baby -- it had learned mom's trick.

 

[The Great Orca]

I've never heard of them biting (this may just not be ignorance) though they are wild animals, so I wouldn't put a hand in their mouths.

They are definitely playful -- I love it. I once spent over an hour playing hide-and-seek with one. I've had them, from out of nowhere, buzz me more times then I can count. Once a pair of them tried to remove my snorkle and hood. A mom and baby followed my wife and I around for a whole dive. The mom periodically pulling on my wife's pink fins. Then, on the surface, while rolling her tank onto the kayak, there was a sharp tug down -- hanging off her fin was the baby -- it had learned mom's trick.

LOL ASSOME!!!!!!

 

[Wristshot]

Teenager Sea Lions:

I have heard from a number of divers about the playfulness of some of the Sea Lions in Monterey. They see so many divers (especially at Breakwater) they tend to get used to them being around. (I have been told that) It is primarily the "teenagers" that are so playful. In general, they are inquisitive, and they rather enjoy seeing the flurry of activity that the get when they do certain things like remove fins, remove masks etc. They have been known to nip at fins but merely to get a reaction, not to cause damage. They have also been known to blow bubbles in the face of divers, again for the reaction. They do something similar on the surface sometimes. During my certification class, one Sea Lion was pestering the Assistant Instructor that was tailing the group. She ended up losing her penguin hat from off of her hood.

In my experience, the Seals give divers a width berth. I have only run across a couple Harbor Seals on dives, and they boogied out of Dodge post haste when I arrived.


Wristshot.

 

[Ishie]

Teenager Sea Lions:

In my experience, the Seals give divers a width berth. I have only run across a couple Harbor Seals on dives, and they boogied out of Dodge post haste when I arrived.

Opposite experience. At Breakwater, we've had a couple sea lions zoom by us at a safe distance and then leave. At the most, when we dropped off an Achilles at the very end we went down into swirls of sea lions who promptly booked it.

On the other hand, every time we go to Lover's, we end up with playful Harbor Seals around, ranging from shyly circling us at about 10-20 feet to trying to pull off Jim's mask. We also had a really friendly one at McAbee.

Apparently the lions just don't like our mojo :sniff:

Ishie

 

[Chavodel8en]

In my experience, the Seals give divers a width berth. I have only run across a couple Harbor Seals on dives, and they boogied out of Dodge post haste when I arrived.

I thought that it was a seal, that actually laid on top of me while I was diving. Maybe my ID was wrong. It was smaller than me, probably about 3-4 feet long, and I thought that it was pretty chubby like a seal, but maybe i was mistaken. So what do you all think, was it a brave seal or a young sea lion?

 

[CALI68]

The first time you dive along the Breakwater with the Sea Lions in full effect it will sorta freak you out a bit, and amaze you at the same time. They're everywhere coming from all angles. It's very Cool! Especially when they come at you at full speed, stop on a dime and bark and blow bubbles at you. Wild!

On another note I did a dive down South at Lobos Rocks and got bumped twice by some VERY big Sea Lions...they were playing but I'm not gonna be macho about it...I was starting to get real nervous. Our deep stop was fine but the safety stop at that place was down right freaky. I mean if I were a Great White I'd go there for lunch.

The Harbor Seals that you see from time to time here and there are so damn cute.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

What you see along the Breakwater is mostly California
Sealions, not Harbor Seals. Harbor Seals are light grey
with lighter blotches, Sealions are dark brown. Usually
it's Harbor Seals that nibble your fins, esp white fins.

The Sealions blowing bubbles is a dominance thing.

 

[jumsted65]

In the past month or so, I had two beach dives on Monterey which entailed a semi-permanently attached Harbor Seal. Usually they're cute, fun, exciting, playful...

Just don't forget they're wild animals, and they CAN bite. One went a bit too far, apparently getting bored with my jetfins. He moved up my leg and got his chompers around my ankle a couple times, biting playfully. It didn't really hurt at the time, but he left an unmistakeable toothmark on my ankle.

Also remember that it's illegal to approach them. They can approach you to their hearts content. You cannot approach them within a certain number of feet. Dunno exactly how many. Just don't approach them. Look, but don't touch. They're fun buddies as long as they're in a good mood. Do your best not to make them angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry.

That said, one of my coolest dive experiences was having a juvenile Harbor Seal come nose-to-snout with me and stare into my eyes for several intense seconds. I wanted to pet him, but...

 

[The Great Orca]

Hmmm,
Anyone up for a dive there (breakwater) with a newby? I don't know when though, I'll post a thread when I find the time.

 

[mech]

I was sitting on the BW wall watching the divers and saw a sea lion bump the back of a diver just getting started ...man that was funny