Steller visits!
Screen grab from the video.
While diving yesterday, we had a visitation from two juvenile Steller sea lions.
I’ve put a 1-minute clip of the encounter on-line, in a gallery with other videos of when these magnificent mammals have chosen to do a swim-by.
Note that I do not “target” marine mammals while diving (this is in fact stipulated as being illegal in Canada’s draft marine mammal regulations) i.e. I do not jump in near sea lion haul-outs as I do not want to put pressure on the animals nor contribute to their becoming habituated to humans.
Therefore, when we see them there is always an element of surprise and, of course, extreme privilege.
See this link for the video clips.
See this link for a previous blog posting that includes the natural history of Steller sea lions.
Note: “Steller” is for the nautralist Georg William Steller who was doctor and naturalist on Vitus Bering’s second Kamchatka Expedition that also sailed to Alaska and the Commander Islands (1740 – 1741?).
The Marine Detective 
One Response to “Steller visits!”
Jackie, not sure if you received my comment yesterday but will try again if that submission did not reached you.. Like a turtle I may be but never will quit!