For those of you that have visited Sitka in recent years I have some sad news. Our exceptional large and infamous local Bull Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) is no more.
Known by various names, (depending on if he had just stolen your 50# King or posed for yet another amazing photo) he was a fixture around the harbor areas, especially near the fish cleaning dock!
He always did his best to maintain his reputation as a scoundrel through various dirty deeds but attempted to repay those sins by amazing us with his size and fearlessness. At one point in his career, he decided that it was much easier to just jump aboard to pick and choose from your fresh inventory. This of course could be rather un-nerving, especially in a 17 foot skiff!
Like his fellow Alaskan "Soapy Smith", he maintained a gang of fat and hungry compatriots (also known as his harem) known for their audacity and appetite. Although the average adult male sea lion weighs approximately 1,200 pounds, this character was thought to have surpassed at least 1,500 pounds if not more. (Most of which according to local legend came from stealing all those monster fish that "got away" up here)
Alas, as so often happens when one gets cocky from success, there comes the inevitable downfall. As with "Soapy Smith" it came from someone he just did not expect. Actually, there were four of them. All four were of the worst type, killers everyone. Dressed in their formal attire these black and white villains appeared suddenly, as they had not been seen in many a year so close to town who would have thought they would return. Obviously not our bulging buddy as he was unable to escape in time.
There will be no official gravesite as there was nothing remaining to inter, but he will be remembered fondly, especially by the numerous fishermen and women who were witness to his passing. Yes, even in those fleeting last minutes he put on a show not to be missed for he was caught right below the John W O'Connell Bridge, the gateway to Sitka. In a town of 8.000 people, most of which had encountered our friend, the news of his brave stand was broadcast over the local radio station and the subsequent rush created a traffic jam that brought downtown to a standstill. Fortunately no one fell from said bridge, although there were a few close calls. Had this happened on a Friday night there we would not have been as lucky as our local drinking establishments would have been in full swing.
So a moment of silence if you could, to mark the end of such a legend. For even his toughest enemies will miss him and shed a tear next time they reel in that big one. It just won't be the same knowing that you might actually land that 50 ponder without 3/4s of it disappearing down this scoundrel’s throat! As well, the Coast Guard and Harbormaster will miss the rescues brought about by the abandonment of vessels when he felt your catch was worthy of closer inspection.
Known by various names, (depending on if he had just stolen your 50# King or posed for yet another amazing photo) he was a fixture around the harbor areas, especially near the fish cleaning dock!
He always did his best to maintain his reputation as a scoundrel through various dirty deeds but attempted to repay those sins by amazing us with his size and fearlessness. At one point in his career, he decided that it was much easier to just jump aboard to pick and choose from your fresh inventory. This of course could be rather un-nerving, especially in a 17 foot skiff!
Like his fellow Alaskan "Soapy Smith", he maintained a gang of fat and hungry compatriots (also known as his harem) known for their audacity and appetite. Although the average adult male sea lion weighs approximately 1,200 pounds, this character was thought to have surpassed at least 1,500 pounds if not more. (Most of which according to local legend came from stealing all those monster fish that "got away" up here)
Alas, as so often happens when one gets cocky from success, there comes the inevitable downfall. As with "Soapy Smith" it came from someone he just did not expect. Actually, there were four of them. All four were of the worst type, killers everyone. Dressed in their formal attire these black and white villains appeared suddenly, as they had not been seen in many a year so close to town who would have thought they would return. Obviously not our bulging buddy as he was unable to escape in time.
There will be no official gravesite as there was nothing remaining to inter, but he will be remembered fondly, especially by the numerous fishermen and women who were witness to his passing. Yes, even in those fleeting last minutes he put on a show not to be missed for he was caught right below the John W O'Connell Bridge, the gateway to Sitka. In a town of 8.000 people, most of which had encountered our friend, the news of his brave stand was broadcast over the local radio station and the subsequent rush created a traffic jam that brought downtown to a standstill. Fortunately no one fell from said bridge, although there were a few close calls. Had this happened on a Friday night there we would not have been as lucky as our local drinking establishments would have been in full swing.
So a moment of silence if you could, to mark the end of such a legend. For even his toughest enemies will miss him and shed a tear next time they reel in that big one. It just won't be the same knowing that you might actually land that 50 ponder without 3/4s of it disappearing down this scoundrel’s throat! As well, the Coast Guard and Harbormaster will miss the rescues brought about by the abandonment of vessels when he felt your catch was worthy of closer inspection.
