Pretty rare event and not sure what triggered it… at 56F he probably was wearing a Wettie which may increase the odds of mistaken identity.
Sounds like he barely made it, but good humor by him nevertheless.
this is relevant.
“I was relatively calm because I wasn’t dead.” Is one of the most Zen statements ever. Kudos to him and a mindset we should all work towards. Thanks for posting this. 
Pretty rare event and not sure what triggered it… at 56F he probably was wearing a Wettie which may increase the odds of mistaken identity.
Sounds like he barely made it, but good humor by him nevertheless.
http://abc7news.com/...er-his-mate/2783319/
There’s a long tradition of people swimming with no wetsuit at aquatic park no matter the water temp so I wouldn’t assume he had one on.
I always see these guys hanging out around when I swim there and assume they are pretty harmless. I’ve never had one swim up next to me, but then again it sounds like he was out in the deep water and not swimming along the buoy line.
First I’ve heard of this in my years in SF.
There’s a long tradition of people swimming with no wetsuit at aquatic park no matter the water temp so I wouldn’t assume he had one on.
True about the non-wetsuit swimmers.
I swam a few times when there was a sea lion in AP, but stuck close to the shore. Glad it wasn’t worse than it was.
I’ve often been followed by harbor seals during ocean swims; a bit spooky, even through I know they’re generally quite mellow. Being in close proximity to a huge sea lion would be intense, and being chomped on by one all the more so. But I’m skeptical there’s much value to generalizing from this one episode.
Happened again today
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Second-swimmer-attacked-by-sea-lion-at-SF-s-12433775.php
“The swimmer, identified only as a man, suffered a “severe bite†around 8 a.m. on the lower body and was being treated at San Francisco General Hospital, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter of the fire department.
“We are requesting that swimmers avoid Aquatic Park,†Baxter said.
The latest victim was believed to be a member of the 144-year-old South End Rowing Club, a group of devoted early morning bay swimmers.”
That group is one that has a big wetsuit free culture.
Happens occasionally in Southern California, and usually because the sea lion has domoic acid poisoning from toxic algea.
Males will also attack and defend their females and young, I have seen that happening diving.
At any rate, sea lion bites are full of very nasty stuff
Why are these so bad out of curiosity? I assume its not like your dog or cat biting you just based on the size and strength of the animal. But serious condition, can they really give you a life threatening bite?
Tons of bacteria
https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/diving-incidents/Sea-Lion-Bite
.
Why are these so bad out of curiosity? I assume its not like your dog or cat biting you just based on the size and strength of the animal. But serious condition, can they really give you a life threatening bite?
A male sea lion is 600+ pounds. You don’t think that an animal that big biting you can take a piece so big that you’ll bleed out quickly?
A big dog can easily give you a life-threatening bite.
Adult sea lions are a lot bigger than big dogs (though their jaws are only modestly bigger).
If a sea lion bite severs key blood vessels, you’re going to bleed out very quickly in the water.
That part makes sense…I guess I’m too used to the images and videos you see of them from sea world doing tricks and being cute. I never imagined them having a strong enough bite or large enough jaw to get to one of your major arteries.
I generally don’t really like swimming in Aquatic park due to the mirky water making me nervous about not seeing whats in the water around me…one more thing to irrationally fear.
I blame Trump. If the DOJ hadn’t filed more charges against Jose Zarate, he would have been out of jail and able to take care of this sea lion before it bit anybody.
Aquatic park is now closed after a third bite today.
Why are these so bad out of curiosity? I assume its not like your dog or cat biting you just based on the size and strength of the animal. But serious condition, can they really give you a life threatening bite?
People as saying the bite could turn you into a Sea-Lion Wolf Man. At least that’s what I hear…
Happened again today
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Second-swimmer-attacked-by-sea-lion-at-SF-s-12433775.php
“The swimmer, identified only as a man, suffered a “severe bite†around 8 a.m. on the lower body and was being treated at San Francisco General Hospital, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter of the fire department.
“We are requesting that swimmers avoid Aquatic Park,†Baxter said.
The latest victim was believed to be a member of the 144-year-old South End Rowing Club, a group of devoted early morning bay swimmers.”
That group is one that has a big wetsuit free culture.
Could be the same one.
Normally they don’t really bother people swimming there, but over the years there had been times when one of these would just go rogue and target swimmers.
Not sure if it is all the mind-enhancing drugs in the water there or some other Techie group dynamics.
In any case it would be good if they could identify that guy and remove him from paradise.
Any male volunteers?
Did someone say a loose seal? 
Aquatic park is now closed after a third bite today.
Is it me or does this seem either ominous, or at least the ominous start to a movie?
“We should have realized, when suddenly the Sea Lions started attacking people, that the experiments we were conducting offshore were leaking a dangerous set of toxins into the water…”