Release of rehabed California Sea Lions

  I recently had the opportunity to release some California Sea Lions that had been rescued and rehabilitated by the Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute, CIMWI.    This organization was founded and has been managed by Dr Sam Dover and his wife Ruth.  They rescue sea lions, seals and other marine mammals from the coast of Ventura County, California.   This year 2013 has brought a huge increase in the numbers of  sick and injured sea lions. 

 

 

  



  I was excited for the opportunity to have some wild sea lions on my boat.  Anacapa Island is a short trip accross the Santa Barbara Channel from Oxnard and would provide an excellent release site.  There is a small colony of sea lions that frequent Anacapa Island.  It was our hope the released sea lions would join the local colony.

 

 

  We loaded 5 young sea lions in dog crates onto the back of the Katie Rae and headed out of the Channel Islands Harbor early in the morning.

 

 

 

  Conditions were nice and it was a smooth ride to Anacapa Island.  My dive partners Richard and Christian joined me on this trip.  We wanted to get some in the water video of the release and it was a great opportunity to dive with the local sea lions again.

 

 

 

    It was a clear sunny day and I was able to get some decent video of the release and some of the local sea lions.

 

 

 

     

 



Anacapa Scuba April 13, 2013

APR

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Anacapa Island Scuba April 13, 2013 

We had a great weekend of SCUBA diving at Anacapa Island, the closest to the coast of the 8 Channel Islands.  The water was cold, 57 degrees, not unusual for this time of year.  The sun didn't break through the marine layer so it was a bit of a dark sky.  The sea life was abundant.  Lots of California Sea lions, Zalophus californianus.  

 My dive partner Richard always takes great photos, some from this trip and a few from prior trips.  All the photos are from Anacapa Island.

 Rock fish with brittle starts

 Christmas tree sea urchins in an abandoned scallop shell

 Octopus

Anemone with brittle stars

It was a great dive.  We made a quick trip across the Santa Barbara Channel back to Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard.  I saw dolphins for the first trip this year.   There was a nice pod of 50 or so visible at any given time.  I have always suspected we can only see 10-20% of the actual number of dolphins in a particular pod, the remaining being under the surface.  Maybe someone reading this could clarify my thinking on this.

Common Pacific Dolphins

Another amazing trip,  I often am in awe of friends and neighbors that do not even realize what an amazing ocean playground lies just off our Southern California Coast.  The adventures and experiences are endless and so accessible.