When you think of San Francisco icons, the sea lions are up there with the Golden Gate Bridge. They are one of the reasons why PIER 39 is the top attraction in San Francisco. On a typical day, you can find them lounging in the sun or piled on top of each other on K-Dock in PIER 39’s West Marina. Some people say they're smelly, but they all smell that way here (fun fact: they are all male). Here's how one of San Francisco's cutest residents sees San Francisco. What made you come to The PIER? Describe your perfect day in San Francisco. Where and what would you choose for your last meal in San Francisco? What's your favorite beach in San Francisco? When you have out-of-town guests, where do you take them? If you could make it into the middle of the city, where would you go? As a fan of seafood, what have you heard about dining in the city? What best captures the essence of San Francisco? What should visitors to K-Dock know about your family and friends? Where’s the best place for visitors to see a great bridge view? Where’s the best place for someone to find you when not at The PIER? Any comments on Lou Seal? You spend a lot of time on the edge of The PIER. What catches your eye the most? There are a lot of boats out there around you. What’s up with them? SEE MORE SAN FRANCISCO LOCALS
Admittedly, I don’t visit the area around Pier 39 more than once a year. I typically go to my favourite vendor and buy a few live crabs during the season. Many locals enjoy the sea lions at Pier 39’s K-dock. I think they’re really cool, from a distance. Others love to get as close as possible. They are large and graceful with flexibility that would make any yogi jealous. Although the weather in the city is good, there’s plenty of food, and usually no predators in the Bay, the Sea Lions don’t stay all year round. They come and go. Late July to August is the best time to see them. The Sea Lions may be quintessential San Franciscans-attractive, travel savvy, intriguing and a little temperamental. I’d advise anyone to take lots of great pics but don’t get too close. They are wild animals. Many are young pups getting to know the commute up and down the coast. The sea lions on the pier are mostly males and argue from time to time for space but generally just sleep, eat and pose for us, the paparazzi.
More info: A few California sea lions started “hauling out” on PIER 39’s K-Dock shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 when locals started moving their boats away from the pier. By January 1990 due to a plentiful supply of herring, the protected marina environment and available dock space, the number of sea lions quickly grew to over 300. The boisterous and noisy sea lions took over K-Dock and made it home, much to the exasperation of the marina tenants. Advice was sought from the Marine Mammal Center, an organization devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals. After much debate and research, the experts from The Marine Mammal Center recommended that the sea lions were allowed to stay in their new home. The number of sea lions fluctuates based on migratory patterns and prey movements but at one point there were over a thousand sea lions chilling on the docks. Today, the sea lions are present at Pier 39 from late summer (late July) to late spring (mid May) and there are typically 150 to over 600 hauled out. Sea lions migrate to areas across the Pacific Coast, from Vancouver to the southern tip of Baja. Most pups are born on the Channel Islands located off Southern California in June. The Sea Lion Center, operated and managed by Aquarium of the Bay, is a hub for all things sea lion, including interactive displays, educational videos and many fascinating presentations led by Aquarium of the Bay Naturalists.
The Loma Prieta earthquake in October 1989 was a very serious disaster that caused hardship and heartbreak for many Bay Area residents. News footage broadcast all over the world showed collapsed freeways, wrecked buildings and other damage inside San Francisco and the surrounding area. Curiously, this seismic event resulted in a most unexpected phenomenon: the arrival of hundreds of sea lions to the K-Dock on Pier 39 on San Francisco’s Waterfront. These marine mammals began arriving in January 1990 and they just kept coming. Initially, their arrival created quite an upset for Pier 39 Marina tenants, as they blocked access to the pier and prevented fishermen and pleasure boaters from getting their vessels in and out of the pier. After consulting with experts at The Marine Mammal Center about how to deal with the new arrivals, the tenants decided to let the sea lions stay and the anniversary of their arrival has become an annual event. Today, visitors can see sea lions at Pier 39 almost every day. As the seasons change and prey availability in San Francisco Bay waxes and wanes, so do their numbers, but the best time to see the most of these impressive creatures is January. This annual event is usually held the third weekend of January from Friday through Monday. The event is free and visitors get a rare opportunity to get a close look at these animals lolling and basking on K-Dock. Visitors attending the Anniversary can ask questions and learn more about these animals from experts at The Marine Mammal Center and the Aquarium of the Bay, who work with these animals on a daily basis and can interpret their behavior. If you’d like to check out the Anniversary this year, simply head down to Pier 39 and begin walking around. It’s a fun atmosphere with food and drink vendors, street performers, attractions like the Aquarium of the Bay and many other cool things to see and do. Best of all, you only have to spend what you care to on food, drinks and souvenirs. Watching, snapping pictures and listening to the din of barking sea lions is free! For a little vicarious viewing, you can check out the live webcam at http://www.pier39marina.com/the-sealions-at-pier39/. Parking is available near Pier 39, but you’re much better off walking or taking mass transportation, as the parking rates are a bit steep. For more information about this and other events on Pier 39, visit http://www.pier39.com/.
Why are the sea lions here?
California sea lions have always frequented the San Francisco Bay, especially during the winter months when herring spawn in the bay. The Marine Mammal Center’s biologists believe that the sea lions have chosen to haul out at PIER 39’s K-Dock because there’s plenty of food nearby in the bay and ocean, their natural predators (white sharks and orcas) do not typically feed in the bay and there is plenty of space. Also, the docks are easier to haul out on, more comfortable and more protected from storms than a rocky beach. As the tide goes in and out, the floating docks move up and down on the water, so the sea lions just keep sleeping rather then having to scramble up and down rocks with the tide. Didn’t there used to be boats on K-Dock?
Yes. When the first sea lions arrived, the dock was filled with boats and overnight guest docking. The boat owners were not too happy about having to avoid sea lions in order to reach their boats. Initially there was some discussion about how to get rid of the animals and the PIER 39 Marina contacted The Marine Mammal Center to guide their decisions. Ultimately, for the safety of the boat owners, it was decided to leave the dock to the sea lions. Boat owners who owned dock slips were relocated elsewhere in the PIER 39 Marina. The weight of the sea lions–often thousands of pounds–caused K-Dock to submerge, become waterlogged and eventually fall apart. In an attempt to repair K-Dock, PIER 39 built twelve 10′ x 12′ floats which were placed between the fingers of K-Dock. In the summer of 1995, the original K-Dock was removed and more floats were moved in to replace the dock. Do the sea lions stay here all year long?
Yes and no. From late summer (late July) to late spring (mid May), there are typically hundreds of sea lions hauled out at K-Dock (ranging from 150 to 600+). In June and July, most of the sea lions head south to breeding grounds on the Channel Islands, although a handful to a few dozen have remained throughout the summer in recent years. In late July, non-breeding sub-adult males and juvenile females begin to migrate north again. Other breeding males travel north later, and some males migrate as far north as Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. Do you feed them or take care of them in any way?
It is illegal in the U.S. to feed, harm or harass wild marine mammals, including sea lions. PIER 39 Marina staff hose down the docks when needed (usually weekly during warm weather when there are lots of sea lions), so that the smell of the sea lions does not drive away the tourists and neighboring boat owners. To do this, they use a boat pulling a small raft equipped with a compressor that pumps bay water to be sprayed on the docks. Additionally, The Marine Mammal Center monitors sick and injured animals, rescuing them when possible. |
Best time to see sea lions Pier 39
Postagens relacionadas
direito autoral © 2024 estudarpara Inc.
