That time a sea lion stole my $600 camera rig off the pilings in San Diego

I was doing a hull inspection at the 10th Ave Marine Terminal and this big bull sea lion just swam up, grabbed my GoPro setup by the strap, and took off with it into the murk... Has anyone else had wildlife straight up swipe their gear down there?

2 comments

2 Comments

allen.charlie4h ago

Hold up, "basically the raccoons of the ocean"? That's the most accurate thing I've heard all week, but also the most terrifying. I can't get the mental image out of my head of a sea lion cracking open a styrofoam clamshell and digging out leftover bait. At least raccoons can't drag your whole setup into 30 feet of green water while you're just standing there watching.

reesea494h ago

i mean, is it really that big of a deal? yeah it sucks to lose a camera but you were doing a hull inspection not a nature documentary. sea lions grab stuff all the time down there, they're basically the raccoons of the ocean. you gotta assume anything loose is fair game when you're working around wildlife. honestly $600 is a pretty cheap lesson compared to what some people lose on those docks. maybe just tie your gear down next time or use a floating strap. i've seen guys have laptops and tools go in the drink from one bad wave, so consider yourself lucky it was just a camera.