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.