See San Diego from the on the water perspective, as it should be! The tour provide the rich history of San Diego and famous sights such as the STAR of INDIA, the MIDWAY, Coronado bay Bridge and the Bay's newest "sea-lebrities" the California Sea Lion now featured daily in its own CRUISE! Disembark Hornblower's harbor tour knowing much more about San Diego, its history, its military roots and contemporary skyline. You'll fall in love with San Diego.

Hornblower Cruises & Events welcomes you aboard our comfortable yachts touring beautiful San Diego Bay. Relax in comfort on the observation deck while our professional crew narrates the rich history, local points of interest and facts about San Diego landmarks and military.

HARBOR TOUR ADVENTURE SCHEDULE

Two Hour Adventure

Hornblower Offers Exciting New Cruise Featuring Sea Lions In San Diego Bay. It is a new twist on their traditional San Diego daytime harbor cruise by featuring one of the most animated personalities of the tour- California Sea Lions in the wild!

Many people will be thrilled to know that hundreds of the fascinating pinnipeds can be observed lounging on the buoys in the middle of harbor and on the bait barge near Point Loma. The newest tour is called the Hornblower Harbor Cruise and Sea Lion Adventure.

The one-hour Sea Lion Adventure cruises daily at 10:00 am, 12:30 pm, 3:00 pm and 5:30 pm. Guests have options for a two-hour cruise to see and learn about the entire San Diego Bay. You will also see brown pelicans and other marine wild life and famous San Diego landmarks such as the Star of India, submarines, aircraft carriers, North Island Air Station, and Point Loma Lighthouse.

Tickets for the Harbor Cruise and Sea Lion Adventure are $17.00 for adults and half price for children ages 3-12 years, infants under 3 cruise FREE. This is one of the lowest attraction tickets in all San Diego!

Children will receive a Sea Lion treasure map with activities, a Sea Lion Fun Facts which explains the difference between seals and sea lions from the San Diego Natural History Museum and a colorful sea lion sticker when they spot the sea lions about half way through the cruise.

Hornblower Cruises ticket booth is located at 1066 North Harbor Drive and visitors can buy tickets or make reservations online at www.hornblower.com or call 619-686-8715.

The sea lions camped out at the San Diego Bay Bait Barge in the North Bay have been endearingly coined, "Sea Lebrities” by Hornblower’s crew. These California sea lions "hauled out" on the bait barge soon after they figured out that they were safe there. The boisterous barking pinnipeds started arriving in droves, taking over the docks in 2000. At first they numbered from 10-50, but due to a plentiful supply of herring, the available dock space and a protected environment, the population grew within a couple of months. Daily Year-round, harbor Cruises are available on Hornblower to get an up close look at the sea lions.

Educational talks for groups and students are provided by San Diego Natural History Museum naturalists on every cruise. For information about the sea lions at on San Diego Bay call 619-686-8715.

Facts and Frequently asked Questions about Sea Lions from the Marine Mammal Center (www.tmmc.org)

1. California sea lions are social animals. They can be seen resting close together at chosen "haulout" sites or floating together on the ocean surface in groups called "rafts."

2. Sea lions, fur seals, seals and walruses are collectively called pinnipeds, Latin for "feather feet." Their streamline bodies and flippers allow them to move quickly through sea water which is eight hundred times denser than air.

3. California sea lions are opportunistic feeders, feeding on whatever is available including squid, octopus, herring, rockfish, smelt, hake and lampreys.

4. During the breeding season of June and July, California sea lion males establish and protect territories, both on land and in water. The best territory is one where many females come to give birth.

5. California sea lions are known for their intelligence, playfulness and noisy barking. (trained "seals" in zoos and aquariums are usually sea lions.)

6. The California sea lion is a member of the eared seal family of Otariidae because they have visible external ear flaps and the ability to rotate their hind flippers forward, walking on all flippers on land.

7. Although the California sea lion is not an endangered species it serves as an indicator to scientists of the health of the ocean. The more we learn about California sea lions the better able we are to help other threatened species like the Steller sea lion.

8. To tell mature California sea lion males from females, look for the bump or "crest" the males develop on their heads around five years of age. As males get older the fur on the crest and around their whiskers gets lighter.

9. Adult male California sea lions can reach 1,000 pounds in weight and 7 feet in length. Adult females can grow to 350 pounds and 6 feet in length.

10. Despite their name, California sea lions look more like dogs than lions. What's more, they "bark" and their young are called pups.

11. The body of a sea lion is so pliable that they can practically bend over backward and touch their nose to the tips of their back flippers.

12. Killer whales and great white sharks are the California sea lions greatest natural predators. However man contributes to sea lion deaths through ocean pollution, illegal shooting and entanglement in nets.

13. California sea lions may be mistaken for dolphins when they "porpoise," or jump out of the water, to make faster time swimming. Young sea lions are often seen riding waves alone the shore like human body surfers.

14. California sea lions range along the Pacific Coast from Vancouver to the southern tip of Baja. Years ago there was also a population off the coast of Japan. Unfortunately it was hunted to extinction.

15. California sea lions usually breed on offshore islands from the Channel Islands near Santa Barbara to Mexico.

16. Unlike other marine mammals, seals and sea lions can live for long periods both in the ocean and on land. They hear relatively well both in air and underwater.

17. Sea lions vs. seals, how can you tell the difference? Sea lions have visible external ear flaps, and walk on their flippers while on land. Seals have small ear holes and they crawl on their bellies on land.

18. Special contracting nose muscles allow California sea lions to seal their noses closed. They can remain submerged for 10 to 15 minutes, but sea lions are mammals so they must surface for air.

19. California sea lions coexists with bait barge marina tenants, thanks to management's thoughtful decision leaving the sea lions undisturbed. 20. You can help sea lions (and seals and sea otters and whales and dolphins) by becoming a member or a volunteer of The Marine Mammal Center located near Sausalito in the Marin Headlands.

21. Even on crowded rookeries, where thousands of sea lions congregate, California sea lion females and pups recognize each other mainly through smell and vocalizations.

22. California sea lion pups are born in June or July. They weigh 12 to 14 pounds at birth and nurse at least 5-6 months, sometimes up to one year. Pups have never been observed at the bait barge.

23. Like human hands, seal and sea lions flippers have five skeletal digits. However at a distance these digits are not always visible in sea lions. The front flippers of seals do have five visible claws.

24. No one really knows why the first group of California sea lions began "hauling" out on the bait barge dock but the abundant food supply in the ocean and the protected environment keeps them coming back year after year.

25. California sea lions are various shades of chocolate brown. Pups are born with a black coat, after about three weeks they grow their brown fur which they will lose or molt every year. Males are usually darker in color than females.

26. California sea lions are polygamous. A mature male may breed with 3 to 40 females in a season, depending on his size and strength.

27. California sea lions are warm-blooded animals with a thick layer of blubber to insulate them against the cold. Their short fur mainly serves to protect their skin when "hauling out" on rocks.

28. Sea lions and seals tear profusely to cleanse their eyes of excessive salt and other impurities. They do not cry. They see much better underwater, on land they are somewhat nearsighted.

29. California sea lions in the wild may live up to 18 years. Those in captivity have been known to live 23 years or more.

30. Years ago there were two types of sea lions found off our coast - the California sea lion and the Steller sea lion. The Steller sea lion, which is twice the size of the California sea lion, is a threatened species and now rarely seen in our area.

31. California sea lions can swim up to 25 mph in short bursts. They often dive to depths of 360 feet, with recorded maximum dives reaching 800 feet.

32. Since they're animals of habit, it's a good bet (but not a sure thing) that the California sea lions will keep returning to the San Diego bay Bait Barge.

33. California sea lions are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is unlawful for unauthorized persons to feed, handle or harass them.

34. Like humans, sea lions and other marine mammals can develop diseases such as pneumonia, cancer and epilepsy.

35. One of the biggest dangers to sea lions today is becoming entangled in plastic pollution. Please cut six-pack rings and any plastic that forms a ring, before throwing it away.

36. Sometimes a spotted harbor seal will "haulout" with the California sea lions at the bait barge. The sea lions always rest a few feet away, giving the seal "its space."

37. California sea lions will bite if provoked. Don't ever approach a beached sea lion or seal. If you think you have found a marine mammal in distress, call The Marine Mammal Center at 415.289.7325.

38. All sea lions and fur seals propel themselves through the water using their long front flippers. Their back flippers act as stabilizers and are not used much in swimming.

CALIFORNIA SEA LION DESCRIPTION: California sea lions are known for their intelligence, playfulness, and noisy barking. Their color ranges from chocolate brown in males to a lighter, golden brown in females. Males may reach 1,000 lbs. (more often 850 lbs., or 390 kg) and seven feet (2.1 m) in length. Females grow to 220 lbs. (110 kg) and up to six feet (1.8 m) in length. They have a "dog-like" face, and at around five years of age, males develop a bony bump on top of their skull called a sagittal crest. The top of a male's head often gets lighter with age. These members of the otariid or walking seal family have external ear flaps and large flippers that they use to "walk" on land. The trained "seals" in zoos and aquariums are usually California sea lions.

RANGE/HABITAT: California sea lions are found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. They breed mainly on offshore islands, ranging from southern California's Channel Islands south to Mexico, although a few pups have been born on Año Nuevo and the Farallon Islands in central California. There is a distinct population of California sea lions at the Galapagos Islands. A third population in the Sea of Japan became extinct, probably during World War II.

BEHAVIOR: California sea lions are very social animals, and groups often rest closely packed together at favored haul-out sites on land, or float together on the ocean's surface in "rafts." They are sometimes seen porpoising, or jumping out of the water, presumably to speed up their swimming. Sea lions have also been seen "surfing" breaking waves. California sea lions are opportunistic eaters, feeding on squid, octopus, herring, rockfish, mackerel, and small sharks. In turn, sea lions are preyed upon by Orcas (killer whales) and great white sharks.

MATING AND BREEDING: Most pups are born in June or July and weigh 13-20 lbs. (6-9 kg). They nurse for at least five to six months and sometimes over a year. Mothers recognize pups on crowded rookeries through smell, sight, and vocalizations. Pups also learn to recognize the vocalizations of their mothers. Breeding takes place a few weeks after birth. Males patrol territories and bark almost continuously during the breeding season.

STATUS: Their population is growing steadily, and California sea lions can be seen in many coastal spots such as Seal Rock or PIER 39 in San Francisco. The current population is approximately 200,000.

AT THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER: Each year, many California sea lions are treated at The Marine Mammal Center. Sea lions are known to have such diseases as pneumonia, caused by a parasitic lungworm, and a bacterial infection called leptospirosis, which affects their livers and kidneys. In 1998 and again in 2000, large numbers of sea lions were treated for domoic acid poisoning, a condition caused by harmful algal blooms which causes the animals to have seizures. Other problems for California sea lions involve humans. Sea lions have been found illegally shot and also caught in drift or gill nets and other marine debris. Between January 1986 and September 1998, 7.5% of all the seals and sea lions treated by The Marine Mammal Center had human-related injuries. The majority of these incidents involved California sea lions.

May be reprinted for scientific and educational purposes

Copyright © 2002 The Marine Mammal Center. All rights reserved.