MemeMachineGo!

Sunday, I spent some time in San Francisco watching the sea lions at Pier 39 — look for yourself . A small number started hanging out on a dock there in ‘89, and as their numbers increased, a dozen small floating docks were dedicated to them. The Marine Mammal Center has a detailed history , FAQ , and sea lion facts .

There were hundreds of them there. At any moment, most are sloppily puppy-piled atop each other, asleep or resting (on account of their being positive thigmotactic and all), sunning themselves. Every so often, one will slip off and take a dip. Though they weigh hundreds of pounds (males can reach a half ton), they emerge from the water as smoothly as a cat jumps on a chair.

Some of the adult males take it on themselves to lecture, and sit up barking for a minute or two — several are doing this at any given time. Then they settle back down. It seems to make no difference that everyone is ignoring them. They remind me of preachers on college campuses.

A mother was rubbing her neck against a pup. Two adolescent males were wrestling, rubbing their necks and chests against each other. One scamp jumped into the water, then emerged onto the end of a dock, climbed on the pile of sea lions, and slid across them just for sport, splashing in the water at the end. He prepared to do it again at another dock, but a pup a tenth his size at the end of the dock barked at him until he backed off. He found another dock and did it again.

I have no point here other than: marine mammals are cool. And: I like to watch the sea lions.