Cove attack
andiss
Senior Member
Seals can be curious but this is the first I’ve heard about a proper incident
https://news.sky.com/story/two-sea-lion-attacks-lead-to-cove-closure-in-san-francisco-11172520
:-S
Comments
It's unusual but not unheard of. In 2006 there was a spate of incidents, I think about 10 or 11 folks were nipped. One person was bitten. All in the "cove", which is appx 1 mile in circumference, bounded by MUNI Pier and Hyde St Pier. These happened earlier than this one ( I think it was September?) These two were slightly different in that one was outside the cove, near the entrance where the fishing boats go in and out ( creakers). The first one the swimmer saw the sea lion and started yelling and splashing to deter him. ( THAT didn't work) and got bitten on the arm.
The 2nd one was a sub-aqua attack. Luckily the swimmer kept his calm and there were people on shore at SERC that called 911 promptly. He was in the hospital all day getting the wound cleaned and stitched.
No one seems to know what prompts these. We have had the Marine Mammal Center come talk to us and frankly, they haven't a clue.
Possibilities range from territorial,to dominance to just being a male to some sort of pathogen that affects their brains.
People are still swimming, but in groups and mostly close to shore.
Water temp is 53 ish?
May be a silly question, but any chance rabies could be involved? Hope not!
I don't know. Never heard of that as an option.
Honestly, it's frightening fer sure but there are literally thousands of people who swim here year round and have for years. (The clubs opened in the 1870's although winter swimming was not a big deal until maybe the 30's) There have been maybe 50 bites and only fewer than 5 (?) actual attacks. This is highly unusual.
I have been nipped twice here in NZ, when scuba diving not swimming at Destruction Gully on the Manukau Harbour, both times I believe it was because pups were playing in my bubbles and too close for their mums comfort. I am unsure about the rabies question, but seal bites were notorious in the old days of commercial sealers getting bitten sometimes proving fatal due to infection.
Have had my fins tugged on by sea lions and harbor seals multiple times through the years, while abalone diving up in Sonoma and Mendocino counties (north of SF Bay). When I dive, I don't use a dive float, so I tuck the abalone inside my wetsuit. Always figured it was their way of asking for a handout.
Sea Lions are big, fast animals... with really giant mouths... it would be easy to be afraid when you are diving alone 100's of yards off shore... when they have zipped around me, I have always told myself that they aren't violent towards humans... going to have to change my thinking.