Cormorants on the Wing
Sunday May 21 |
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| By: Robert Tongen | |||
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| It was a grey cloudy morning When Peter O'Sullivan, Bob Glickman and I launched around the seals at Kiddie Beach in Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard. It was just past low tide so we could feel the tidal flow coming against us as we paddled out the channel. The regular scuba diver was paddling his kayak off our starboard. He told me that the fish had all but disappeared since the seals arrived. From the stink at Kiddie Beach it was apparent where they went. It was very calm in the pond as we paddled through and out the north end. We traversed the length of the breakwater on the outside in both directions. There was more wave action than it looked like and we could really feel the reflected waves coming off the breakwater. As we were heading north we were met by hundreds of Cormorants flying south. The swooped up over the breakwater and kept flying south. We stopped to visit a bit, then Bob headed off to do a fast lap around the harbor. When we returned to Kiddie Beach I counted ~70 seals on the beach and at least another 25 swimming. We were able to land around them without any trouble, but if the 150 ft distance were to be observed the entire beach would be closed. We will see what transpires next weekend when the beach is open and lifeguards are on duty. That is the way it was this Sunday before Memorial Day Weekend. |
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