See the Sea Lions in La Jolla

Sea lions have ears! I wasn’t sure whether the critters we were watching at Children’s Cove were seals or sea lions, and didn’t want to tell my kids the wrong thing. Someone’s always listening, like that time on the zoo train when I said, “Look at the monkey!” as we clickety-clacked past Siamang Island, and the mom behind me on the train said loudly to her kid, “Look at the APE.” Yes, yes, very good, accuracy in all things.

Anyway, they’re sea lions. “What is that SMELL?” Isaac asked long before we could see them. They blend in so well with the rocks along the La Jolla coast that it took me a minute to realize we’d found the objects of our quest. I have very fun memories of accepting a dare from my brother to touch one when we were here in high school, shortly before a lady frowned at me: “You KNOW they’re wild animals.” I deprived Isaac of a memory like this by keeping him close to me and away from the marine mammals—some of which were snapping and barking at each other.

Then we got soaked by a surprise wave in my effort to get a group selfie with the sea lions in the cove—such fun. The tide was high, and time on our parking spot was low. We had to run for it.