“Nothing like that has ever happened to us before!” Nearly every morning, members of UCLA’s women’s rowing team gather for practice in the waters off of Marina Del Rey in Southern California. There, they are accustomed to encountering the region’s aquatic residents—particularly a certain kind.
“It’s pretty common to see sea lions,” crew member Faye Turcotte shared with The Dodo.
Usually, the rowing team and sea lions peacefully share the water. However, on a recent occasion, they shared more than just space. During a brief break from rowing, Turcotte and her teammates noticed a young sea lion swimming nearby. They paused to admire the sight.
“He was super cute, so we were all excited,” Turcotte recalled. “That’s when he jumped onto the bow deck of my rowing shell.”
With that, Turcotte found herself face-to-face with the adorable stowaway.
As the sea lion flopped aboard the vessel, Turcotte seized the opportunity to snap a few photos.
After a brief disappearance, the sea lion made a return, popping back up from the water. But he wasn’t satisfied with just a fleeting visit.
In a surprising move, he hopped directly into the seating compartment of Turcotte’s teammate, Logan, making himself quite at home.
From that cozy spot, the sea lion showed no signs of wanting to leave. So, the rowing team made their way back to shore, with the unexpected passenger still aboard.
Upon docking, the team managed to coax the curious sea lion out of the boat.
But the tale doesn’t conclude just yet.
Just to err on the side of caution, Turcotte’s teammate, Elsa, reached out to rescuers from the Marine Mammal Center. They promptly arrived to give the sea lion pup a thorough checkup, discovering that he was malnourished.
Thankfully, they were able to provide the necessary assistance.
Ultimately, this encounter likely saved a life—and it’s an experience Turcotte and her teammates will cherish for a long time.
“It was incredibly exciting to encounter the sea lion because he was so adorable, and nothing like that has ever happened to us before!” she remarked. “We’re relieved to hear he’s doing better and receiving proper care.”