Broughton Quarterly - Fall 2007 - (Page 13) destination: san simeon WALLOWING ROOM The Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery By Chuck Graham A S I WALKED ALONG THE ERODING BLUFFS north of San Simeon, a merciless northwest swell pummeled the California coast. Waves and froth rushed the shore, and a cacophony of snorts and honks bellowed from a beach strewn with tangled kelp and battered driftwood. Northern elephant seals by the thousands eked out precious territory, herding their harems as weaners (elephant seal pups) cried for mother’s milk and much needed protection. As the gargantuan males, each weighing about 5,000 pounds, reared back their heads and bellowed, they exhaled great plumes into the crisp winter air hovering over the rookery. While ungainly on land, they moved with impressive speed, like giant inch worms, any time an intruder dared attempt to steal a moment with a female. Besides the males’ ample girth, they’re characterized by a floppy snout, or proboscis, hence their well deserved name. Since 1990, when less than two dozen elephant seals beached themselves within the secluded coves near the Point Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, just north of Hearst Castle, their numbers have swelled. Today, over 12,000 of these massive pinnipeds crowd their newest colony, wallowing on the beach, breeding, and rearing their pups while males stamp out pockets of precious sand, their necks showing the signs of frequent battles. The drama of this unique wildlife spectacle is safely observed from bluffs a mere 10 to 20 feet above the beach. A boardwalk and trails lead to various vantage points. Interpretive signs are found along the boardwalk, educating observers about the cycle of life of the northern elephant seal, and several docents from The Friends of the Elephant Seal are also on hand to answer questions and help viewers get the most out of the experience. The docents, wearing distinctive blue jackets, are easily identifiable. So why do these pelagic creatures—which spend 80 percent of their lives at sea—choose the rugged crags of Piedras Blancas as their rookery? By the 1880s, elephant seals, hunted for their blubber, were thought to be extinct. But Guadalupe Island off the coast of Baja, California turned up a small colony of approximately 100. In 1922, the Mexican government deemed them a protected species, and they’ve steadily expanded their range north, all the way from Baja to Alaska. Remarkably, that last remaining colony spawned all of the northern elephant seals alive today. Overcrowding on their main rookeries (San Miguel Island, San Nicolas Island, and Año Nuevo) forced the behemoths to begin anew somewhere else, and the beaches and coves along this particular stretch of coast have all the characteristics of a successful rookery: secluded coves to haul out and rest, and an abundance of food just off shore. Like most visitors to the Central Coast, they were taken with the region. And from the looks of it, they’re here to stay. To learn more about northern elephant seals, contact Friends of the Elephant Seal, P.O. Box 490, Cambria, CA 93428, phone: 805.924.1628, www.ElephantSeal.org. Orchid Inn At San Simeon Located just south of Big Sur on California’s rugged Central Coast, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Inn is just minutes from the region’s finest attractions, including Hearst Castle and the Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery. From $89, 805.965.0546, www.OrchidInnAtSanSimeon.com. Photo: Chuck Graham Since 1990, when less th a n t wo dozen elephant seals be a c h e d themselves within the se c l u d e d coves near the Point Pie d r a s Blancas Lighthouse , just nor th of Hear st Castle , t h e i r number s have swelled. www.BroughtonQuarterly.com 13 http://www.ElephantSeal.org http://www.OrchidInnAtSanSimeon.com http://www.BroughtonQuarterly.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.