An ode to those more evolutionary adapted to freediving than I am. And no, I'm not referring to Tanya Streeter or Will Trubridge - I'm talking about seals and sea lions! Awesomely, you can see both at La Jolla in San Diego!
First of all, it's very important to be able to tell the difference between the two:
Seal or Sea Lion?
Image from sealconservancy.org
If you call a sea lion a seal, or mistake them for the San Diego Seals lacrosse team, be warned that they are expressly vocal and have incredibly strong foreflippers. They will certainly not hold back from marching on land to give you a loud piece of their mind! Seals on the other hand are quiet, non-confrontational and rely on jiggling their bellies to move along the ground. It will probably take them an adorably long time to approach you with their complaint.
A young sea lion being vocal.
Diving Adaptations of Seals and Sea Lions
Bradycardia
Lung Collapse
Pinnipeds collapse their lungs to reduce nitrogen absorption and thus lessen the risk of decompression illness (also known as 'the bends' due to the associated joint pain). Interestingly, this lung collapse also helps them to conserve oxygen and to better able their ascent back to the surface.
Take a breather, there's a bit more science to dive through.
Blood Adaptations
They also exhibit a higher blood volume and haemoglobin content (the oxygen-binding protein in red blood cells) than other mammals of the same size. This increase in their hematocrit (red blood cell volume) means they are highly adapted for soaking up as much oxygen as possible before taking the plunge.
Muscle Myoglobin
Additionally, the muscles of pinnipeds and other marine mammals have a high amount of the oxygen-storage protein myoglobin. Diving deeper into biochemistry here (but this is really fascinating, I promise!) - the myoglobin of diving mammals has a higher net surface charge and thus increased electrostatic repulsion. This leads to elevated oxygen storage in muscles by preventing potentially harmful aggregation (clumping together) of all that myoglobin. How breath-taking.
Record Breaking Dives
All of these adaptations give seals and sea lions the ability to dive to astonishing depths (1530m recorded for a male Northern elephant seal) and for profound times (two hours reported for a female Southern elephant seal).
La Jolla Sea Lions
And how do the La Jolla sea lions spend their time with all those incredible adaptations?
They just laze about, not diving.
I mean, two...flipping...hours?! Nemo was found in less time than that! In fact, in two hours you can watch all of Moby Dick and still have time for a tea-break! Or, you can make an entire rainbow cake (and trust me, that can feel like a lifetime)!
Sea Lion Behaviour
Alright, that was a bit unfair, rainbow cake is actually a pleasure to make. And, to be honest, sea lions have to deal with a lot of tediously exhausting politics; the males will often bark at each other incessantly to defend their territory and partners.
I get it, arguing with someone for an entire day is very tiring. That's why everyone falls asleep after Christmas. Sure, blame the turkey.
Plus, sea lions are social creatures. Their diving involves hunting for fish, squid, crabs and shrimp (until we teach them how to use cameras, that is). Once well fed, they prefer to spend their leisure time all huddled together with friends and family.
Blubbery sea lions use each other as pillows. They will also sit upright with their noses pointed up to regulate their temperature, display their size and pose for Instagram.
Sea Lion Rescue
Similarly to family outings at shopping centres, seal parents can sometimes misplace their children. If you see any lost pups, you can help them reunite with their mothers by giving them adequate space to find their way back. Or if you're in San Diego and you spot a lost pup or injured pinniped that is very far away from the rest of its pod, call Sea World Rescue Team on 1-800-541- SEAL (7325).
A little lost sea lion pup finds its way back home to its mother.
La Jolla Travel Advice
So, if you want to see these wonderful animals, then don't hesitate to book a flight to San Diego International Airport and Uber your way to La Jolla. Wear shoes with adequate grip, follow the ecologically valuable smell and you will surely find Seal Rock, Boomers Beach and the Children's Pool with their vibrant pinniped communities. The Children's Pool is fantastic for spotting wildlife, but it is usually closed in Winter and early Spring months to prevent disturbance to newborn seal pups.
Seals resting on 'Seal Rock'.
You'll want to take photos, so make sure you're familiar with your camera's zoom functions in advance (and try to acquire a better camera or phone camera lens than mine). This is because it's safer to observe seals and sea lions from a distance - they can bite if they feel like you're too close and not respecting their space (I mean, doesn't everyone?).
However, the sea lions at La Jolla are so used to the paparazzi, they're more media trained than your local politician. This one already knows its 'good side'.
On a more serious note, if you're in La Jolla and you witness a seal or sea lion being abused, the San Diego Police Department (619) 531-2000 or the NOAA Enforcement (800) 853-1964 will be happy to arrest the offending doofoid.
Doofoid's don't deserve to meet someone so adorable.
So go and visit La Jolla! If this post hasn't sealed the deal, I don't know what will.
