Early summer is a great time to travel to the coast in search of the harbor seal.
California's most common marine mammal, the harbor seal is often missed at first glance. Unlike their noisy relatives, the California and Steller's sea lions and northern elephant seals, harbor seals make little noise and their mottled fur allows them to practically disappear against the rocks and sand. The key to finding the seals is knowing a little about their lifestyle. Once you spot a group of harbor seals, you can expect to see them at the same location on future visits. If the seals are watching you from their haul-out area, you're too close.