10/28 Seal Cove, LaJolla, CA

While LaJolla is a pleasant town with lots of nice shops and restaurants, most visitors go there to walk along the bluffs and to see the seals.  (Finding a place to park is a serious sport along this area.) 

This rock is shared by birds to the right and seals to the left.  

I have seen California sea lions in a lot of places along the west coast, but this is the first time I have seen Harbor Seals.  These guys look like someone took a seal balloon and overinflated it. They are round with no discernible necks.  Also, they do not move well on shore because their legs are very short and they cannot walk on them like sea lions can. 

This species can also be identified by their spots.

This is the cove itself.  The small breakwater protects the seals from the larger waves and makes a good place to have their pups in the spring. 

Good closeup.  Strange how they often hold their tails off the ground. See how short their flippers are?  Not good for walking.  

They also have short faces, whereas sea lions have longer dog-like snouts. This one is on a rock outside of the breakwater and kept getting hit with waves as the tide came in. 

You are allowed to walk on the sand of the cove, but are required to stay back from the seals. I overheard some ladies say that this was really a swimming beach a long time ago, but the seals had ruined it with their poop.  Let's just say it is not a place where you would want to walk barefoot!

Enough with seals.  I spent a good hour plus walking along the oceanfront at LaJolla, then headed back home.