I love Año Nuevo. And to think that the waters offshore are teeming with Great Whites makes me afraid for all these seals but also it's pretty bitchen, nature and all.

This has been soothing me all morning. I was sitting here thinking "It'd be so great if it had sound" and then I put my headphones in and OMG IT HAS SOUND!

I went to see the elephant seals near Hearst Castle around Christmas. They are weirdly comforting. I think seals are the cats of the ocean. Or cats are the seals of the living room. Either way, I find all the vicarious lounging around interrupted by the occasional yawn to be soothing.

I saw the ones near the Hearst Castle a few years ago too, but from a distance. The ones at Pier 49 or whatever it's called down at Fisherman's Wharf in SF stink to high heaven.

The ones at Pier 49 or whatever it's called down at Fisherman's Wharf in SF stink to high heaven.

Them's sea lions. And yeah, they stink. They're really snotty, too. (The literal kind of snotty, I mean.)

Cool find! I always thought seals were adorable.