To pick up a hitch hiker or not? posted 3/9/2008 11:43:06 PM | 2 kudos what's this?     report abuse tagged: nature

530Meliss

Ok, I didn't pick her up but OHHHHH I so wanted to.

Yesterday my kayak club went to Elkhorn Slough (middle of Monterey Bay) for a weekend paddle. Just as we got under the highway 101 bridge up pops a young sea otter. She checked out each kayak with a quick sniff for food. Because my kayak is an open hull, my lunch was tied to a sea sack behind my seat. She must have been in a veggie snacking mood because that's what was there for a quick munch.

She pulled herself up on the rudder of my kayak and started to come aboard (not even waiting to be piped aboard first. A very saucy hitchhiker indeed.

Captin Penguin came to the rescue and shushed her off before we had to squabble but oh would she have been a cute stowaway hitcher. After she gave up on getting back onto my kayak she checked out another kayak where the paddler had her lunch in a deck bag strapped to the front of her kayak. With a sly chomp and tug, she bit a 1" hole in the cordura bag. I'm VERY glad we shushed her off my kayak but ohhhhhh there's nothing cuter than a sea otter up close and personal.

I hope other paddlers do not encourage her by feeding her. Eventually it'll get her in big trouble. Wild animals in the wild should have a bit of fear of humans to keep both species safe.

Even so I can't wait to go back and watch her.

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