Hundreds of sea lions flock to Harbor

EUREAKA,Ca (KIEM)-There are more than tourists visiting Crescent City and they seem to be multiplying daily.

They’re big, loud and they smell really bad.

That hasn’t deterred locals and tourists from stopping by to get a closer look at these sea lions.

Carol Higgins came to the harbor for the sea lions.

“Friends mentioned they had been down here yesterday so we decided to take a ride and look at them,” Higgins said.

Jean Paul Vanderbrouke traveled from Oregon he was overwhelmed by the number of seals congregating on and around the pier.

“It’s pretty overwhelming,” he said. “There’s got to be thousands of sea lions out there I’m thinking.”

They routinely stop by toward the end of November and leave about the end of May.

They make their yearly trip to crescent city harbor for the seasonal herring run.

However, this season they seem to be arriving in droves.

Lauren Ingram works at Chart Room, a restaurant looking over the harbor.

“Cause even last year when I was here, they were on the top, they weren’t on the rocks nearly as bad and they weren’t taking the sidewalk completely,” Ingram said. “So they’ve even doubled this past year.”

The hundreds of sea lions basking in the sun is attracting locals and tourists.

Something chartroom restaurant worker Ingram is happy to see… as long as visitors are mindful.

 The sea lions may look calm…cuddly and friendly but local workers say they are wild animals and they will bite.

 “I highly, highly, highly encourage everyone please don’t try to touch them. They don’t know that our hands are attached, and they will just chomp.

It’s definitely an attracter and it’s amazing. We love having everyone come down and check them out.” 

Something she hopes keeps attracting business.

If you haven’t seen a sea lion up close and personal the Catch Room Restaurant workers tell us they will likely stay for about two more months.