This is a little off-topic. Michele volunteers at the International Bird Rescue facility. A couple of the other volunteers are also docents at Ano Nuevo State Park where the elephant seals breed. Larry and Joan offered to take a few of the volunteers today for a special tour at Ano Nuevo. I horned in.

It was a steely grey afternoon, cold and windy. We dressed warmly and packed binoculars.
We learned a heap about the seals. They can dive to 5000 feet. These northern elephant seals weigh in at only 4000 pounds for the big males; their southern cousins can weigh 9000! They look like giant slugs, but when provoked they can gallop fast enough to run over and crush a person whom they find threatening.

The seal pups will stay on the beach for a couple of months, growing to over 300 pounds. When they finally take to the water, many of them will immediately perish; great white sharks are waiting just off shore to feast on the vulnerable pups. Tough world!