Combo surf & dive @ Horseshoe with the M.I.B

Had a fun surf by myself on 3-5 foot waves. Then went in, switched gear, and kicked out for some abs. Vis wasn't good due to the wave action but I had just managed a nice one, was putting it in my float tube and I see some movement on the rocks. I put my mask up and look a little closer oh no is it baby seals? No. It looks like six of those worm creatures from the movie Men In Black! They are high fiving and slapping each other around slithering all over those rocks. WTF it is six full grown sea otters and they just saw me. They slid down off the rocks and swam out to me as a group coming within 10 feet. They circled me for a while and one of them swam underneath me and bumped my float tube before finally swimming off. After that I got off my tube, back into the water, and kept diving for my limit. Forget about the possible closure next year. If those otters take up residence, there won't be much left to preserve anyway.    jim/redyak

Jimmy:

River otters or sea otters

Contact Fish and Game. From what I understand they have a relocation program for sea otters in order to preserve the abalone.

Whew! Thanks Inseine. My bad species id. They were definitely river otters not sea otters. Do they eat abalone too? They were very interested in my float tube which had two captured abs inside. I kept having to swim back to my tube to shoo this one away that kept hanging around my tube. I also saw him gnawing on some kelp. I feel alot better now that I know they weren't sea otters. By the way that was me honking at you while you were fishing/defending your secret spot from pesky pb intrusion last sunday. I was thinking of joining you but I drove down to salmon creek to check the surf and it was firing, so I jumped in there. Hope you did well.     jim/redyak                       Thanks to Malibu Two for the info as well!

Very cool encounter, river otters are usually very shy, very cool indeed.

traditional surfing or kayak surfing?

River otters are common in bays and coves up on the north coast.  I've seen them running across fields to get into the ocean.  They'd probably eat some abs if they can get their little hands on them, but they are mostly fish eaters and are not nearly as effective at getting shellfish as their marine cousins.  I have big problems with them in my fish trapping and tagging operations.  They're smart.

Dave

Surfboard not kayak surfing.  jim/redyak

Jim,whats up? Are you out there hasslin' the natives again? Shame on you.Was that today you were out there? Did you dive the north side? You guys should see this dude. He dives with a thin surfsuit and he can hang in the cold water like a , well like a,an otter. Yea an otter. Arf,arf. way to go jim. That must have been exciting. Craig

hey redyak, quick question are you the guy in the white truck with the tubular rack that is on the sonoma coast between russian river and bodega bay on the, at least the last four mondays, and were you sitting above wrights beach two or three m0ndays ago. if so i am the other guy scoping the coast in the same area and have passed you and waved in the white chevy truck with the tarppon 140 on top. if so it seems we have the same days off and would you be up for a trip before the end of the season or when it opens up again. i am a newbie and only know fly gear, but really want to learn how to fish in the conventional way, also always looking for a paddle partner since i do not know anyone else in the area that paddles, and has the same days off. if so send me a pm and would love to hook up for a paddle. 

hey redyak, quick question are you the guy in the white truck with the tubular rack that is on the sonoma coast between russian river and bodega bay on the, at least the last four mondays, and were you sitting above wrights beach two or three m0ndays ago. if so i am the other guy scoping the coast in the same area and have passed you and waved in the white chevy truck with the tarppon 140 on top. if so it seems we have the same days off and would you be up for a trip before the end of the season or when it opens up again. i am a newbie and only know fly gear, but really want to learn how to fish in the conventional way, also always looking for a paddle partner since i do not know anyone else in the area that paddles, and has the same days off. if so send me a pm and would love to hook up for a paddle. 

I think that might be Otobepalegic otherwise known as Allen

Wasn't me. I work monday thru friday so I'm only out at the coast on the weekends or after work during the summer months when its light out until 9pm. Look forward to meeting you someday.   jim/redyak   Craig I gave you a call sunday before I headed up but I got the machine so I just bailed.  I dove the south cove in the shallows. Not much there where I was and I wasn't willing to go into the kelp. Biggest was 8 3/4". Switched to the bigger fins I found at the fort. Seemed to work better......for chasing otters off that is.

hey redyak, quick question are you the guy in the white truck with the tubular rack that is on the sonoma coast between russian river and bodega bay on the, at least the last four mondays, and were you sitting above wrights beach two or three m0ndays ago. if so i am the other guy scoping the coast in the same area and have passed you and waved in the white chevy truck with the tarppon 140 on top. if so it seems we have the same days off and would you be up for a trip before the end of the season or when it opens up again. i am a newbie and only know fly gear, but really want to learn how to fish in the conventional way, also always looking for a paddle partner since i do not know anyone else in the area that paddles, and has the same days off. if so send me a pm and would love to hook up for a paddle. 

I think that might be Otobepalegic otherwise known as Allen

I should be so lucky...............twasn't me.