Lynnea Flarry was picnicking with her family Sunday afternoon on Clark Island (off Washington State) when her daughter-in-law saw what they thought was a seal aboard the family’s 31-foot Catalina, apparently after taking advantage of a ladder extending into the water from the stern.
Flarry said her son and grandchildren took a dingy back to the boat. “When they got close (she) hid (her) head behind the lifesaver like a little kid who hides behind a curtain and doesn’t realize his toes are sticking out,” Flarry said.
One effort after another failed to dislodge the sea lion until Flarry’s son used a boat hook to nudge the creature gingerly back to the water. “It was the strangest thing. He was on there for more than an hour.”
The rest of the group went back ashore as Flarry’s granddaughter stayed on the boat, taking more pictures as the sea lion swam in circles around the boat. Then the animal climbed back up the ladder onto the boat and resumed sunning itself. “She was so busy snapping pictures she forgot to bring the ladder up,” Flarry said.
Back came the rest of the family to try to evict the sea lion. “He’d just turn his nose up to the sun and just look at us like, ‘I’m here, so what?’ It was just the darndest thing. I've never seen anything so preposterous, and I’ve been sailing for years and years,” Flarry said.
Her 5-year-old grandson begged in vain to keep the sea lion as a pet. “My grandson was more than willing to give up his bathtub if we could take the (sea lion) home,” Flarry said.
What little boy hasn’t wanted a pet like this? And, what little boy wouldn’t be willing to give up baths!
Ever had a stray animal take up residence with you like this? If so, share your story with us.
Flarry said her son and grandchildren took a dingy back to the boat. “When they got close (she) hid (her) head behind the lifesaver like a little kid who hides behind a curtain and doesn’t realize his toes are sticking out,” Flarry said.
One effort after another failed to dislodge the sea lion until Flarry’s son used a boat hook to nudge the creature gingerly back to the water. “It was the strangest thing. He was on there for more than an hour.”
The rest of the group went back ashore as Flarry’s granddaughter stayed on the boat, taking more pictures as the sea lion swam in circles around the boat. Then the animal climbed back up the ladder onto the boat and resumed sunning itself. “She was so busy snapping pictures she forgot to bring the ladder up,” Flarry said.
Back came the rest of the family to try to evict the sea lion. “He’d just turn his nose up to the sun and just look at us like, ‘I’m here, so what?’ It was just the darndest thing. I've never seen anything so preposterous, and I’ve been sailing for years and years,” Flarry said.
Her 5-year-old grandson begged in vain to keep the sea lion as a pet. “My grandson was more than willing to give up his bathtub if we could take the (sea lion) home,” Flarry said.
What little boy hasn’t wanted a pet like this? And, what little boy wouldn’t be willing to give up baths!
Ever had a stray animal take up residence with you like this? If so, share your story with us.
Nothing but a dog. When I was between my senior year in high school and freshman in college I found a dog at the baseball field. My folks said, "no" but I convinced them to let me bring it home. That dog never forgot me and was a companion to my mom after my dad left her. Certainly not as dramatic as a sea lion but least I got to keep her. But least I still took showers.
ReplyDeleteOh Bill...I knew you had a soft heart. You mean to tell me that your girls didn't beg for a pet they found? I bet if they had, you would have given in in a heartbeat!
ReplyDeleteOk so I don't do animals (other than to eat the ones we are allowed to eat). But that was a cute story. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHeidi
I've never had any really strange pets -- just your regular assortment of cats, dogs, hamsters, a rabbit or two, and a fish.
ReplyDeleteMy son's betta died a couple of days ago. I'm kinda missing him. I like watching "Chopper" swim around. Bernard says no more fish, but I'm thinking, we've already got the tank, why not? Of course, I'm not the one that changes the water, etc. :)
Thinking back, I suppose one intriguing little animal that took up residence with us was a little chipmunk. He would collect acorns and bring them in our house (don't know how he got in) and he would store them inside my mother's crochet thread.
ReplyDeleteAnother little animal that my dad adopted while hunting was a racoon we named Buster. Buster would wash all his food in his water dish before he ate it. Funny, too. He would raid the garbage can all day long. Guess that's why he needed to wash the food, huh?
One of the most unique animals we ever had was actually a bird. It was a bluejay that my dad would feed crackers with his teeth. The bluejay sat on daddy's shoulder and would take the cracker from his mouth. My stepbrother taught him to whistle Camptown Races. The local newspaper came and did a story on him once.
I'm sure we had other animals, just can't recall them all at the moment. These stand out most in my mind. selahV
Heidi...
ReplyDeleteBad experience with pets as a child? OR, just prefer to eat them?
Karma...did you guys have a funeral...or just a simple flush?
ReplyDeleteMrs. V., if you haven't blogged about the bluejay, you should!
ReplyDeleteWe just flushed. :(
ReplyDeleteSteve: No I actually used to have pets. After I had kids all of that changed. Now they disgust me. Hair, hairballs, puke, pee, poop, litter box, smelly food, dirty food dishes, vet visits, females going in heat, chewing things like my furniture, digging up my yard, poop scooping and then worrying that the grass is still tainted so having to spray the hose around too b/c I am just weird like that. There's more. You know there is. Pet ownership isn't for people who think dogs or cats are cute. You must really love the animal -- something I am incapable of at this point in my life. Ick!
ReplyDeleteHeidi (the emerging germophobe)
I had a cat that wouldn't leave. I'm allergic to cats too!
ReplyDelete