Sea Lion Pup Hops in Kayak With Family in Santa Barbara
Johnny Lee wasn’t the only one looking for love in all the wrong places.
This sea lion pup was out on Valentine’s Day and set his sights on a kayak in Santa Barbara’s Sterns Wharf. But his kayak was already taken!
The Orange County family of five was paddling around in two rented kayaks and even though Mom was nervous, they were thrilled with the unexpected visitor. A crowd at the pier watched as the sea lion pup enjoyed his first ride in a kayak.
But while this story is so freaking adorable it might give you cavities, its a great moment to talk about how to keep yourself and sea life safe if this ever happens to you.
Check out this advice from FishandBird.org:
- Keep your distance – 10 meters is recommended.
- Be prepared to move away CALMLY if they approach you.
- Do not disturb sea lions so they look better in your photographs –they need their rest! Be patient and you will be rewarded.
- Keep dogs and children under control around sea lions at all times.
- Never attempt to handle sea lions as they can be bite and often carry diseases.
- Do not drive vehicles any closer than 50 metres from sea lions on the beach
- If you see larger sea lions harassing smaller ones, don’t interfere, as it can be dangerous for you and sometimes causes the larger sea lion to become more aggressive toward the smaller one.
- DO NOT PLEASE DO NOT FEED SEA LIONS. This will only encourage them to see small boats & people as an easy source of food. They are heavy animals and could capsize a small boat
Read more from Santa Barbara news outlet KEYT.
And for the Instagram generation, Johnny Lee was a country singer whose hit 1980 single “Lookin’ for Love” spent three weeks on the top of Billboard charts.
