We saw something weird on our way down the Californian coast. It was outside Point Arguello, and it was almost dusk, with a sluggish sea. Then Nina called out. There was a strange animal in front of us.
We'd been seeing the different Californian seals for weeks, but this was something else. It stood quite tall in the water, like it wanted to get an overview. It stood out like a pillar of rock. The seal was huge. It had a mean head with a powerful jaw. The throat was whitish with black spots. I thought it looked like a leopard seal. But how could that be? The leopard seal belongs to Antarctica.
We passed within a few meters. The seal didn't move. We could see it had the eyes closed. The whole scene was mystical, otherworldly. I think about it every now and then, when I need to remember that the world is a weird and wonderful place.
