Sea Lions at Pier 39: Barking up the wrong pier?

August 19, 7:04 AMSF Travel ExaminerEd Uyeshima

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California sea lions soak up the sun next to Pier 39 (Photo: Ed Uyeshima)

People often speculate that the Loma Prieta earthquake on October 17, 1989, caused them to abandon Seal Rock for the K-Dock next to Pier 39, that unparalleled bastion of tourist-centric commerce. However, the Marine Mammal Center says it could be sheer coincidence that they ended up abandoning the wave-crashing waters of the Pacific for the relative tranquility of the boat harbor that also contains Forbes Island. It does seem a shame that the move has made them subject to the abusive cameras of rotund, polyester-wearing gawkers who feel a need to imitate their obvious cries of disgust. Perhaps they needed a better real estate agent. Hindsight is always 20/20.

The sea lions were seen initially as a nuisance by the local boat owners, but eventually the wildlife won out for a change. By early 1990, Pier 39 had relocated the boats from K-Dock to other locations in their Marina. It was officially closed to the public and set aside for the sea lions. However, much like what happened on “Knots Landing”, the cul-de-sac became awfully popular among heavy-breathing mammals, both the barking pinnipeds and the imitative tourists. The cumulative weight of the sea lions, often thousands of pounds, caused the original K-Dock to submerge and disintegrate by the summer of 1995. Consequently, new floats took its place, more than a dozen of them placed like portable condo sundecks between the fingers of the dock.

The entire area has been designated a wildlife sanctuary by the California Watchable Wildlife Project. During the summer months, the sea lions migrate south to the Channel Islands for breeding season. Since 1996, the highest numbers are now seen in late summer and fall. A similar population influx has occurred in the over dozen years that have passed since then. The last official high count was 1,139 sea lions on September 3, 2001. Most are male juveniles though not pups. In fact, the bigger the males, the more blubber they can store and the longer they can wait for, shall we say, intimacy. They can be found sun-bathing and facing off with each other for the most desirable spots on the floats. The scene is a bit like “Lord of the Flies” - only noisier.

LOCATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Beach Street & The Embarcadero, Fisherman’s Wharf. Walk toward the end of the pier, and you will see the congregation of sea lions on the west side. The Marine Mammal Center has an information kiosk next to the marina. On the weekends, there are volunteer docents at K-Dock to answer questions about the sea lions. More information and interactive exhibits are available at The Marine Mammal Interpretive Center (Building J, Level 2, (415) 289-7373).