Elephant seals in PNW

erps · #1 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

Greetings fellow Northwest sailors,

I was out in the strait today and went past Minor Island, next to Smith Island in Charlie Cobra country and saw an elephant seal on the beach. This is the first year in 24 years of boating on the sound that I've seen one of these critters and I've seen one twice now at this location. It was close to 10 feet long. Here's a pic:

blt2ski · #2 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

Need to ask,

What is the difference between an "elephant seal" and a "sea lion"?

may have to look up too, they kinda look the same.....

marty

erps · #3 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

Elephant seal has that big floppy nose and no ears.

blt2ski · #4 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

I just spent a few minutes googling.

An elephant seal is an earless seal, ie a true seal, where a sea lion is an eared seal and can walk on its flippers. Not sure I really did the 30 sec description correctly or not, but.............from what I could look up quickly, having one or two around here out of S cal or mexico where they breed is a good thing from what I can gather!

marty

jrd22 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

Great pic Ray, were you able to get as close to it as it looks in the pic? I saw one several years back down by Pt Townsend while sailing, thought it was a huge deadhead until I got up close enough. Crummy weather we're having, eh?

erps · #6 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

We were about 30 feet off the beach. We thought it was dead at first, because it didn't move. I guess when they get that big, there are not too many things to bother them.

You're right about the weather. We went down to the boat last weekend just to putter around on a few things and commented on the way home that we really want to get back out. With the weather and other stuff it's been almost four weeks since we were out last.

bubb2 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

Erps, Thanks for the pic!!

Faster · #8 (**permalink**) 01-26-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by blt2ski

Need to ask,

What is the difference between an "elephant seal" and a "sea lion"?

....no one's every gonna call an Elephant seal "cute!

doubleeboy · #9 (**permalink**) 01-27-2009

Wouldn't you just love to come down to your boat and see this chubby horse lounging at the helm of your boat?

The weather has to break, we got possession of the boat yesterday. If its above freezing Saturday we are going for a sail, no holding the admiral back, she has stylin new foulies!

michael

erps · #10 (**permalink**) 01-27-2009

Double,

Is that your boat in your avatar? It's a nice looking boat if it is. Are you going to take it back down to Oregon this summer?