Oh My Gawd.
So, I gave you a list of chubby, squishy, round animals that I shall one day require. You remember? Well. Clearly, I made a huge oversight.
Blubberious Fantasticus! 
Otherwise known as an Elephant Seal. Up to 5,000 pounds of pure, blubbery romance. All the sand flicked upon you that you could ever dream of. A full molt on the beach once a year, during a three month fast. The voice of a lawn mower crossed with a seagull. True love, I tell you.
The cuteness overwhelms me.
"Oh yeah? You think he's YOUR juvenile male? Na-ah grrl. That big boy belongs to me!" "Well, that's not what HE said last night!"
"Did you hear the one about the Harbor Seal and the Sea Lion? Side slappingly funny!"
I apologize for captioning animals. I am usually kind of opposed to that sort of schmooey cheesiness. I couldn't resist this morning, however.
Do you love them? You know you love them!
There are just a few at Ano Nuevo right now. 
Mamas are nursing their pups all up and down the beach. 
It was such a fun little outing. I used to go to Ano Nuevo nearly annually, because if you live in Santa Cruz, which I did growing up, it's a viable, day long, fieldtrip.
The Elephant Seals seem less ginormous now, likely because I have grown, and they were big to start with. I'm catching up...eek.
I recommend signing up for a walk, if you've never done so. It's a big $5.00, and SO much fun. A little walking in the sand, a little nature, a LOT of FAT FAT seals. There have been over 841 pups born this season at Ano Nuevo. There are thousands of weaners, juveniles, and alphas, as well. They have a lot to say, and watching the males vie for dominance is quite a show. They hang out through the end of February, I believe. After that, the ladies head to Hawaii for an extended spa trip, and the boys head to Alaska for the fine fishing. The pups are on their own to figure it out.
I hope to get back there soon, but in the meantime, I'll have to settle for a slightly smaller set, closer to home.
Fiesty Salchicha:
Alpha Elephant Seal Wannabe:
Fatty scratching chin:
I guess this one isn't technically mine...yet.
On a *completely* unrelated note, we were watching the Spanish Channel yesterday. My new favorite show is: "12 Corazones." Spanish television is spectacularly more fun than regular ol' dumb t.v. Intriguing, I tell you.
They are so CUTE!!!!!! So are you.
Posted by: Rachael | Wednesday, 31 January 2007 at 06:26 AM
If you get one, I'll be happy to come house sit! smiles THEY ARE ADORABLE!
Posted by: Robin | Friday, 02 February 2007 at 10:53 AM