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Vessel owners urged to ’sea lion-proof’ boats and docks.
NEWPORT HARBOR – Just about everyone has unwillingly hosted unwanted guests at some point in time. But what do you do when they decide to plant themselves on your boat or dock and invite their friends to come join in the fun?


Photo by: courtesy of Sgt. Mike Scalise of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol
Unwelcome Visitors — Sea lions have taken up residence on many local boats, docks and barges in Newport Harbor this summer. However, most of the pinnipeds are expected to leave the harbor by October.

Boat owners and waterfront homeowners in Newport Harbor have been asking themselves that question, as they have recently had to deal with the problem head on: Pesky sea lions have invaded the harbor in large numbers, and they have already overstayed their welcome, sinking a boat and keeping other owners from using their vessels.

“This is the most sea lions that I have ever seen here,” explained Janice James, a homeowner on Lido Peninsula. “There’s just a whole lot more, and that’s why it’s become a bigger problem.”

James, who has lived on the peninsula since 1979, has seen the pinnipeds on neighbor’s property and shooed a few off her dock.

Unlike past summers, when sea lions mainly occupied areas east of the Balboa Pavilion, they decided this year to look for lounging spots elsewhere in the harbor -- particularly between 13th and 19th streets.

“Previously, the sea lions hadn’t really been up where they are now -- so, the folks up there aren’t used to them -- and they are making quite an impact,” explained Newport Beach Harbor Resources manager Chris Miller.

Miller has been working closely with residents and the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol, in an effort to minimize the problems these animals can cause to homeowners and boaters.

On Aug. 28, one boat fell victim to the sea lions when four boarded the 24-foot Star sailboat and eventually sank it.

The city’s first problems with sea lions began three years ago -- and, as a result, the Newport Beach City Council approved an ordinance that requires Harbor Resources to contact mooring permittees and pier permittees in problem locations, notifying them that they have 30 days to sea lion-proof their dock or vessel. If deterrent measures are not taken, the owner will receive a citation from the city.

Harbor Resources has suggested several deterrents that property owners can implement to keep sea lions in harbor waters and off their vessels and docks. Strategically placing crates, kayaks, plastic chairs and orange construction netting on boats and docks can keep sea lions at bay, Miller said.

One homeowner on Lido Peninsula got creative this year, using large flowerpots to persuade the pinnipeds to stay away. They added the deterrents after neighbors alerted them that about 30 sea lions were congregating on the property.

Barges have also been attractive to the sea lions, said Chuck South, manger of South Mooring Co. He was responsible for raising the vessel that was sunk by the sea lions this summer -- which was the ninth boat sunk by sea lions that he has raised over the years.

“This year is the worst ever,” said South, who keeps two barges in the harbor in the J and H mooring fields. “I have made several attempts to prevent them (from coming aboard), and I am pretty good at it, but I have been unsuccessful. They have gotten really aggressive this year.”

South spent four hours Sept. 9 watching divers tend to a pipe that was knocked off his barge by the pesky creatures.

Aside from damaging docks with excessive weight, damaging property with the oils from their skins and creating unpleasant odors everywhere they sit, sea lions tend to bark for hours on end -- and many homeowners say that the incessant barking has been the low point of the creatures’ extended visit in Newport Harbor.

“They are a major nuisance,” explained Dave Lamb, who resides on Via Lido Soud.

While they have not boarded his powerboat or his sailboat, they have hauled out on his dock a few times. Lamb said he shoos them off his dock by spraying them with fresh water.

“You don’t want to hurt them,” Lamb said. “But they are certainly disruptive.”

James said that she has lost sleep because she is kept awake by the sea lions’ loud barking. It can start anytime, and it can last for hours, she said.

“All this barking is going on at all hours of the night, and it is quite loud,” said James, who recently counted more than nine sea lions on a cruise through the channel on her Duffy electric boat.

Deputy Joel Monroe of Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol said the officers will move boats from one mooring area to another and will help shoo the animals away, when notified.

Unfortunately, many return once the Harbor Patrol boat leaves.

Sea lions are federally protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and no one is allowed to harm the mammals -- even if they become a nuisance. Visitors are being asked not to feed the sea lions, and are advised to keep away from them, as they have strong jaws and are capable of biting ferociously.

“They aren’t cute and cuddly,” said Lido resident Carter Ford.

Many boaters who have come across sea lions on their vessels have reported that they can be aggressive.

Why the large mammals that migrate along the Pacific coast from Baja California to British Columbia decided to make their summer home in Newport Harbor this year is not known, but city officials believe it may due to the large quantity of fish available locally, and the fact that Newport Harbor offers plenty of boats to haul out on.

Monica DeAngelis, a marine mammal biologist for National Marine Fisheries Services who has worked closely with officials in Newport Harbor, said that the increased number of sea lions is no reason for alarm.

“In 2005, we received reports in Monterey Bay of 1,500 animals,” said DeAngelis. “They don’t just pick Newport Harbor: They are everywhere.”

The harbor is in proximity to the Channel Islands -- a breeding ground for sea lions. Newport could be a “first stop” for many before heading north. Other factors, such as illegal feeding of the animals, may also explain their visits, DeAngelis said.

“I have seen some folks dumping some fish, and I’ve seen french fries being fed to them,” DeAngelis explained. “So, word could have gotten out among the sea lions that you should come to Newport Beach.”

If the past years’ pattern continues, most of the mammals are expected to leave Newport Harbor by October. Approximately a half-dozen will probably stay, as in past years, Miller said.

For more information on how to deter sea lions from your boat, visit www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/hbr and click on “sea lion issues” or call Deputy Joel Monroe at (949) 723-1005.

This article first appeared in the September 2008 issue of The Log Newspaper. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated.