Sea Monsters

N

No Worries

New member
Sorry I have not posted in a while, but I really didn't know where else to ask my question. IF anyone would know it would be this group.

So me and my wife are tied off on a buoy off McMckien state park last night. Had a nice evening and some good chow and went to sleep. About midnight I hear a loud splash and the boat goes side to side.. I am thinking... wow...what the hell is that. Ten it does it again. Feels like boat is being pushed. I stick my head out the hatch of the cuddy and all all I see is darkness.. This happened 2 more times during the night. Onetime the first sound I heard was my antenna which was in the down position being smacked against the side of the boat... (this is about 3 or 4 feet off the water) the then the boat is being pushed again and more splashing.

Now either I was coming off some good acid, which was not the case, or it was a rouge wave or a porpoise was messing around (there were a few in the area and I have had young ones check me out before) or it was a seal trying to get in the boat. Is this possible? I was thinking if he got in the back of the boat how in the hell wound I get him out. The door on the cape cruiser is all glass and I was like shit.. what if he breaks it.

We did go back to sleep each time but it was not what I would call restful sleep. We have camped tons of times and this is the first time anything like this ever happened.

One other thought is that I had my refrigerator running which makes a humming noise and I was thinking that may have made a purpose curious...

Thoughts???? :teeth
 
do you have sea otters in your area? they are fair size and get into everything. When we were at the dock in ucky last year the river otters where in and out of all the empty boats at night. locals said not to leave any food out and to make sure the ice chest was locked down or the otters will dig thru it.
 
If you had taken your head out from under the covers :sad You would have seen it was just another Chinese Frogman infiltrating from "Hong Couver". :disgust

:smiled Jack
 
Profile is updated...

I did look the first time and realized I could see two feet in front of my hand. I wounder if it iwas an otter. I did have the garbage can on the back of the boat.... HMMMMMMM....
 
lloyds said:
My vote would go for a sea lion.[/quote

Are there sea Lions in the south sound? I thought there were only seals?? Man if a Sea Lion got in the back of the boat that would be a scary proposition.... shiate....
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Yes, there are both California Sea Lions and North West sea lions found in the Puget sound--and further North. They have been known to board boats frequently. Certainly otters--seals on swim steps--but occasionally into cockpits. I probably would be sure that the garbage is well secured in double bags. I have also heard of bears trying to board boats.

I have had a dinghy pushed by a Porpoise. There are stories of whales nudging boats, as well as directly hitting boats. We have had some come very close (feet).

Take your choice--keep a flashlight and cannister airhorn by the bed.

That glass door is pretty sturdy--I don't think an animal would break it easily--maybe a bear...
 
That glass door is pretty sturdy--I don't think an animal would break it easily--maybe a bear...
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Maybe I better change the Username of the gentleman who started this thread.
 
I have seen both seals and sea lions come out of the water and "board" buoys that are the level of the gunnel or the foredeck on a 22, and do it quite easily. The bow pulpit may hinder a forward end boarding, but a seal or sea lion going over the cockpit gunnel looking for a flat deck there would both get and be a surprise. ( Just found a new reason to like my half glass door :D ) Like Dr Bob said, It's a good idea to sleep with a big light and a air horn close by.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
I vote for a sea lion. I don't see a river otter causing that much movement. We got mugged by a "street gang" of young male sea lions a couple of weeks ago near Perry Island. We had just dropped off step to enter West Twin Bay and encountered a group of between 6 and 8 sea lions on the surface about 150 yards away near an island. They immediately came toward the boat rolling out of the water and making a commotion. After being surrounded with sea lions as close as 6 feet to the boat, I was thinking of gettng the shotgun to repel boarders but opted to use some HP to get some distance between us. I call that being harrassed by marine mammals.
 
I've seen sea lions numerous times around the San Juans. HUGE animals with an attitude to match. The thought of them in the cockpit of a C-Dory.... :shock:
 
A couple of years ago I spotted wild activity in the water a couple of hundred yards ahead of me while I was cruising in my 16 foot C-Dory between McMicken Island and Joemma Park. Turned out to be 4 juvenile sea lions. They were literally somersaulting in the air. I cut the engine and drifted. They headed straight for me and I found myself looking eyeball to eyeball with one of them "standing" half out of the water just a few feet from my window. For several minutes they investigated the boat, including gently thumping and bumping the hull from underneath. It was pretty darn cool.

On the other hand, a big Stellar sea lion came right out of the water earlier this year in Petersburg and bit a guy who was sitting on a railing. Bit him right were he was sitting, if you get my drift. That wasn't so cool.

I'd bet it was sea lions you encountered, but there are also river otters in the McMicken area, and they can come out of the water like a Polaris and land on a dock or boat without much trouble, too.
 
I will tell you it was unsetteling and had us both on edge. I just kept thinking if a seal jumped in the back of the boat what in the hell then. From the sounds of it this is not a common occurance, this is the first time I have had such a run in. I would have shit If i was eye to eye with a sea lion. Good call on the air horn and flashlight......
 
Long ago, when I as much younger, and perhaps foolish, I swam with the Sea Lions off Santa Barbara Island on several occasions. They seemed to be curious, but not aggressive. When they get on boats or docks (out of their element) they have been known to be very aggressive. Also the bulls are definately more aggressive than the females.
 
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