1. Six of the eight passengers traveling together on our converted fishing boat- plus our Ecuadorian guide.
2. Although much smaller than adult male California sea lions further north, this beach master is still a fair amount bigger than the lovely members of his harem. He looks almost black because he just got out of the ocean. As he dries out, he'll turn brown.
3. Mom and pup.
4. Mom isn't happy at the closeness of the other young sea lion. She paid no attention to me at all- but then, I stayed at least 15 feet away.
Thanks Saba, conrad and Birdie.
Some of the island beaches have white sand like this because of local offshore coral reefs.
On one beach, I walked around a dozen female sea lions lolling around- without a male in sight. Suddenly the harem master burst out of the bushes, running quite fast (sea lions use their hind flippers for walking- whereas true seals can't). It scared the poop out of me momentarily- until I realized he was heading straight to the water. Another male had been approaching, and this guy wasn't having any of it, so he chased the interloper (in the water) for a few hundred feet before turning back. I sighed with relief, waded into the water to wash away any evidence of my "accident," and then returned to my sightseeing. Okay, I made up the poop part- but not the other. This guy was fast.
Charlie
