Fishhawk Lake Travelogue-Sea Lions on The Astoria Piers
Last week was filled with interesting opportunities for any photographer in search of unusual moments. I happened to be walking along the coastline in Astoria Oregon in the mid-day sun when I heard the rather mournful sounds of sea lions, wailing, grunting and just raising a raucous. I kept following the sound til I got close enough to a pier to take photos that created something more interesting than brownish lumpy dough-like creatures that were all molded together, like a large unformed blob of shimmery brown blubber.
I'm actually quite fond of their spirited nasal-like throaty grumphs (my word) when they are drying off in the sun, planning a swim, looking for a place to land their gelatinous roley-poley bodies or simply wanting more FOOD. Not everyone gets to experience seals and sea lions; they are quite funny and have some humanlike qualities. They have neighborhoods, pecking orders (sometimes I've watched a sea lion try to get out of the water into a spot that the others completely refuse to allow, just like trying to land a good place on the beach when it's packed with sleepy half-clad people who don't want their space invaded. The sea lion not being welcomed, ends up slipping back into the water, with hopes dashed to go find another place where there is less judgement). This smaller one in the water below looked like he was doing the backstroke!
This particular photo, below made me smile. It was so sweet to capture the camaraderie of two sea lions (one with its flipper on the other's back), while a seagull flew into my depth of field and later I found that it seemed as if all three were taking in the live entertainment!
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