Photo of the Week: September 20, 2010

Hi Gang!

I couldn’t resist the temptation to share one last image from my recent trip to Mexico’s Sea of Cortez aboard the Rocio Del Mar. The boat is a relatively new liveaboard that services the Midriff Islands in the Cortez and the Revillagigedos Islands  (aka Socorros), the four islands located roughly 220 to 400 miles south of the southern tip of the Baja peninsula and that are so well known for their big animal encounters.

This week’s POTW is an image of a curious California sea lion yearling that I photographed at San Pedro Martir Island. California sea lions range from Alaska’s Bering Sea in the north to Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands in the south. There are several well-established, long used rookery areas in the Cortez, and the rookery at San Pedro Martir is one. That means that when water conditions are good, especially during the summer and fall, the odds for a fun sea lion encounter are favorable. That, in turn, means that the younger sea lions, with the exception of very young pups, are likely to check you out.

Life at a sea lion rookery always reminds me of recess at an elementary school. The yearlings often buzz all around you, circling, stopping, blowing bubbles at you, and then darting off at breakneck speed only to return again shortly for a repeat performance. It’s great fun, and when the water conditions are decent, good photo opps abound. Everything seems to happen just a little faster than you want it to until all of a sudden everything stops and there are no sea lions to be seen underwater. If you surface you are likely to see the animals resting on the rocks. For the time being, it’s over as the youngsters need to re-charge their batteries. 

Sexually mature females are more “standoffish” than the younger animals, and the males (bulls) are all business, meaning they defend their territory against intruders. That usually means the males fight, or bluff, with other males to establish territories, and that divers should pay heed. Bull sea lions have been known to physically confront divers, and a full grown California sea lion bull can weigh as much as 800 pounds. Enough said, I trust!

By contrast, the yearlings and pups are all about strutting their stuff and satisfying their curiosities. They are often quick to approach divers. Sometimes that means full speed ahead, and moments later they can be like a lap dog. In the case of the animal that is featured in this week’s POTW I got a little bit of both. The sea lion first showed up in a group of frenetic yearlings that buzzed all around me, but they soon settled down and this animal decided to rest on the rocks just a few feet in front of me.

I was set up with a Nikon 17-to-55 mm zoom lens, a great choice for sea lion-sized animals, and I was able to fill my frame nicely and compose a fun shot. This lens requires a plus 2 diopter when used behind Subal’s 8-inch dome port. After I had banged off a few frames the sea lion swam away, but within a few seconds it came right back to the same spot. This time I was able to get closer, and set my focus point right on the animal’s eye. I couldn’t ask for a much better opportunity, and I was able to convert that opportunity into this week’s POTW.

I hope you enjoy the image!

See you next week!

Marty