Mmmmm.. Tasty sea mammals..

[puerco-bellies]

I keed, I keed. We didn't have any ranch dressing handy, so no otters, seals, sea lions, or sea elephants were harmed making this picture post.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear puerco-bellies!

Wow, you were right on top of them!

These are awesome!

I'll bet they were noisy too...

I am truly impressed!

:hug:

[puerco-bellies]

2. Some pictures were taken from the shore the rest were from our kayak

We got as close as we could without disturbing them. You can get very close to wildlife in a silent kayak.

[Pierre.Suave]

3. WOW, awesome pictures

it is like a national geographic photo spread there.

How great to be so close to them.

[puerco-bellies]

5. Years ago I read about otters anchoring themselves with kelp

I had forgotten about it till we saw these two just off the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

[Pierre.Suave]

6. Interesting you bring that up...

because I was watching National Geographic channel a week ago or so and they mentioned that, as well as a bunch of other creatures use them in the open ocean for various reasons, food, shelter, etc..

They are sort of an Oceanic Truckstop. :P

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Are those near San Simeon?

I have an almost identical photo to the bottom one.

[puerco-bellies]

7. Yep, that's the Sea Elephant haul out at Piedras Blancas

I think that it is just south of San Simeon. Only a few bulls were still around. This was mostly the "weaners" yearlings and nursing cows left on the beaches.

[petronius]

8. Wierd trivia about otters: during mating, the male bites the female's nose

to position himself. Lacerations and even infection are common - and sexually mature females will exhibit facial scarring. Fairly freaky little beasts, really...

[puerco-bellies]

9. I will try to study their faces more closely.

Alison is trying to find out more about the animals we encountered this trip. I will let her know about the biting behavior.