Sea lions barking

[3D diver]

I was working on the video I shot Sunday of my breakwater dives and noticed a funny sound in one of the clips. It was almost drowned out by the bubble noise so it took me a while to realize what it was---the sound of sea lions barking on the rocks above the water.

This triggered two thoughts:

• Wouldn't it be nice to try a rebreather. Bubbles make a lot of noise.

• I've always assumed the seals were calling to each other above the water, but if it can be heard under the water too then surely they know it too and their primary audience may be there, rather than on the surface.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I've always assumed the seals were calling to each other above the water, but if it can be heard under the water too then surely they know it too and their primary audience may be there, rather than on the surface.

Their calls are roughly translated as follows:

"Hey Bob, SHARK, twelve o'clock"
"Seriously Bob, get a move on it"

and

"Hey look. Bob is checking the shark's teeth"


Seriously though, I wish I could experience something like that (hearing the bark of seals) in my local waters. Sadly, no. It is pretty cool that you can though.

 

[koozemani]

Are you sure it was above water? They will bark underwater and it can easily be heard.

---------- Post added August 29th, 2013 at 09:34 AM ----------

And it's properly translated:

hey Bob, don't worry about the sharks, we only have to out swim that diver.

 

[otis24]

Sometimes I'll hear one bark, than a whole bunch of barking right after. It's like one tells a joke and the rest start laughing.

 

[3D diver]

Are you sure it was above water? They will bark underwater and it can easily be heard.

Can't be sure, of course, but from the cadence of what I heard believe it was above the water.

FWIW: my avatar is a picture of a sea lion I observed repeatedly barking in that poor divers face.