Whale crap

Paddlers' Place
#1

No, this has nothing to do with excrement, nor whales. It’s nothing but my thought when I had a minor confrontation with a sea lion yesterday. Up to this point, I hadn’t seen a single sea lion, or even a seal this summer. I was hoping that would be the case for the rest of the summer and the fall.

That probably sounds contrary to what a lot of paddlers might prefer, but believe me, sea lions in the Columbia River is hardly a delightful thing for fishermen and for me as a paddler. I thought I was seeing a log as I paddled into an area where I knew there had been one (a log) for some time and my only thought was to make a mental note that it was still there. But then it suddenly submerged and I said out loud–to myself–“what the hell” and then I realized it wasn’t a log at all that I had seen. Apparently the log was still there, but this sea lion was using it as a perch as it was just below the surface and made a fine lounge for the animal. Anyway, that might have been the end of it, but this guy had another idea; he thought it would be interesting to cone and check me out. Here he comes–should I head toward shallower water where he can’t do well, or should I try to outrun him. He was coming too fast, so a very loud and commanding “Hey” came out of me. That did the trick; it startled the curiosity out of him and I made my getaway.

I’ll be going to a different location today and hoping not to see that monster, or any of his cousins.

#2

@magooch said:
No, this has nothing to do with excrement, nor whales. It’s nothing but my thought when I had a minor confrontation with a sea lion yesterday. Up to this point, I hadn’t seen a single sea lion, or even a seal this summer. I was hoping that would be the case for the rest of the summer and the fall.

That probably sounds contrary to what a lot of paddlers might prefer, but believe me, sea lions in the Columbia River is hardly a delightful thing for fishermen and for me as a paddler. I thought I was seeing a log as I paddled into an area where I knew there had been one (a log) for some time and my only thought was to make a mental note that it was still there. But then it suddenly submerged and I said out loud–to myself–“what the hell” and then I realized it wasn’t a log at all that I had seen. Apparently the log was still there, but this sea lion was using it as a perch as it was just below the surface and made a fine lounge for the animal. Anyway, that might have been the end of it, but this guy had another idea; he thought it would be interesting to cone and check me out. Here he comes–should I head toward shallower water where he can’t do well, or should I try to outrun him. He was coming too fast, so a very loud and commanding “Hey” came out of me. That did the trick; it startled the curiosity out of him and I made my getaway.

I’ll be going to a different location today and hoping not to see that monster, or any of his cousins.

I’ve used that on strange dogs.

#3

Maybe you should carry an air horn magooch

#4

Perhaps it be best
if you barked a bit less,
some lions will agress to dogged snotty.
To slack its charged haste
one might shock with music’s taste,
perpetrating perplexing air of Pavarotti.
(Perhaps tenacious tendered tenor of Pagliacci?)

“No more Rice Krispies! We ran out of Rice Krispies!
My tears, they will not stop,
till I see lion swim off into the chop.”
(Or, “hear in Orca’s maw your snap, crackle and pop,” if you’re in a particularly vindictive mood.)

#5

Yeah, if we could just train the Orcas to change their diet to sea lions instead of salmon a huge problem might be solved.

#6

Or perhaps a couple great whites.

#7

Yeah, there was a 17 foot whitey cruising around north of here, but I’d rather that it stay away from where I am. If he would be interested in munching on about 300,000 sea lions, he would be welcome to just inside the mouth of the Columbia River.

#8

Seems you feel about sea lions as I do manatees.

#9

What is the main ;problem with manatees? Sea lions have decimated our salmon runs and they can be very aggressive at times. They often completely take possession of docks and they can cause expensive damage to boats and the dock itself. The Stellars are so big that you just don’t want to have them around–at least I don’t–when I’m in my kayak.

#10

@magooch

You may be on to something: https://www.nelsonstar.com/news/seal-attacks-kayakers-in-the-broughton-archipelago/

#11

Can seals carry rabies?

#12

@string said:
Can seals carry rabies?

All mammals can

#13

@magooch said:
What is the main ;problem with manatees? Sea lions have decimated our salmon runs and they can be very aggressive at tines. They often completely take possession of docks and they can cause expensive damage to boats and the dock itself. The Stellars are so big that you just don’t want to have them around–at least I don’t–when I’m in my kayak.

Manatees can be aggressive… They came up under my boat and dumped me. Usually slow moving and gentle ( and used to have swimming tours with them that might be still ongoing) they have the power to accelerate fast during mating season and be quite aggressive though they lack the teeth of carnivores.

Sea lions from what I have seen in my seven days in a kayak in Glacier Bay are truly frightful and mean all the time.

Great White… for paddledog52 there have been enough sightings in the Gulf of Maine for researchers to be interested why they are here. https://www.pressherald.com/2018/07/24/to-great-white-sharks-off-maine-smile-youre-on-research-cameras/

I don’t kayak the southern coast though.

Maybe they have something to do with the shark carcasses or small whale carcasses that have been found washed up on beaches in that area.

#14

Manatees can be 1800 pounds. If startled anything in their way, including you, gets shoved aside. They’re protected. They are revered by the feel good public. They sleep just under the surface and blend in well. I’ve bumped three in the flats and creeks.

For the record cows and horses can weigh that much and do similar damage when startled. They’re just easier to see.