We spotted a curious sea lion, or seal, (there’s a difference!) close to shore and checking things out near Albany Bulb, which doubles as a popular local dog park.

A few dogs at the beach noticed the creature and tried to give chase before owners stepped in to stop things. A number of people who frequent the beach mentioned they had never seen a sea lion at Albany Bulb before, leading many to wonder if something was wrong with it.

It reminded me of our old friend, Buzz (an elephant seal pup we met up on the North Coast).

EDIT: I think it’s a sea lion! Zooming in on another photo I took, you can see an external ear flap.