Sea Lions

Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)

Curious creatures brighten dark, overcast days for me. BIG curious creatures are really cool to watch from the safety of the boat deck, especially when they also have big, yellow teeth. This Steller Sea Lion is not snarling, it is grabbing a breath, but since it weighs well over five hundred pounds I will give it plenty of room anyway. They are very fast and agile swimmers, blowing and diving, then coming closer for another look at the human on the floating box.

Click on the image to the left for a closer look at those canine teeth.

Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)

Steller sea lions

We watch each other for a few minutes and then the whales blow off a little ways. The sea lions take off to see what is going on there, and probably to check if there is a snack involved.

Humpback whale surface feeding or 'skim feeding.'

One of the whales is surface feeding. It moves along with with its mouth open, then closes its mouth and dives as the seagulls close in. The whale's baleen is visible if you click the image to enlarge it.

Humpback whale diving as seagulls converge.

Some days in Southeast Alaska the sun doesn't come out, the rain starts and stops and starts again, but there is always something in the day that leaves me awash in wonderment. This day offered views of two species of huge marine mammals. What an amazing place!

Wishing you wonders in your day,

Alaska Beachcomber

More marine mammals and other creatures can be seen here: Alaskan Critters