SCRAPBOOK
   Sea Otter goes AWOL from Monterey bay and comes
   to visit us at PIER 39 marina.
   Written By: Sheila Chandor

A young sea otter rehabilitated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, after an injury, was tagged and released and decided to swim up coast to visit our marina.

To the delight of tenants and crew, he had a playful nature, and had to be coaxed with a home made 'Toy' to give up a boat fender he had purloined from a boat. His propensity for suddenly introducing himself on boats and docks to passers by made it necessary to call in the Monterey Aquarium team who, with the help of the marine mammal center, successfully captured our cute friend and returned him to Monterey Bay (but not before he'd feasted on 5 crabs in one sitting.)

We had hoped to train him like a pearl diver to get some for us too! This is one of only three sea otters known to have visited the San Francisco bay.....we hope to see more in the future. Marina mammal staff say this may be an attempt to expand their breeding area.