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AKA-None · 14-07-2023, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelkara

Sea otters were once hunted to extinction in BC too ... but the cute beasties are making a comeback ... this year I saw more sea otters than ever, even as far south as Alert Bay on the inside ... they're pretty camera shy and won't come near the boat.

River otters on the other hand are a freaking pest, that like nothing better than to poop on my dock lines.

Well apparently they don’t like the way you treat your lines. Maybe if you neaten them the otters wouldn’t poop on them

Kelkara · 14-07-2023, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Well apparently they don’t like the way you treat your lines. Maybe if you neaten them the otters wouldn’t poop on them

Tried that ... a nice flemish coil on the dock ... just makes a comfy loo seat. Then the next otter comes along and messes it up sniffing out who cr*pped there first.

I think the lines hold the scent (stench) better than the wooden dock, so it is a more durable way of communicating with other otters.

I'm open to other ideas.

**boatman61** · 14-07-2023, 11:57

If they're long enough lead them back on deck after tying off.

**JPA Cate** · 14-07-2023, 14:11

NOT the otters, the lines!

I read the articles linked by Gord May (thanks, Gord), and I feel way better about the research than I did before.

One point made in what I read, and subsequent discussion is that otters are carnivores, and they are equipped with strong jaws. Therefore, a bite from one could be a problem (loss of part of a hand, likely one's dominant hand), so please don't feed them. It is bad for them in the sense of making them lose their natural fear of humans, but it may also be quite unpleasant for whoever's doing it.

Ann

desodave · 14-07-2023, 14:24

The river otters seem to like specific docks/fingers imo. I'll go with running the lines back to the boat, but it didn't stop them with my previous boat. I used to keep the dinghy in the water during the cruising season and they also liked to use it as a bath tub when it had a bit of rainwater in it !!

wholybee · 14-07-2023, 18:15

When I was in Hout Bay in South Africa, the local fishermen fed the sea lions. They were trained so that you(and hell no not me!) could hold a fish hanging from your teeth, lean over the edge of the dock, and a sea lion would jump 4 feet out of the water and grab it from you.

It seemed a high level of dumb, and a good way the have your head ripped off, but dozens of people were doing it. And when they were not, the sea lions got out of the water and were chasing and barking at passersby.

Interacting with wild animals is not good.

FilBrown · 17-07-2023, 07:43

It seems that various animals just wanna surf. Even the wild ones... 😊
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/watch-seal-joins-surfers-surf-7562538

JAFO · 17-07-2023, 18:24

Link to a non-paywalled version of the article..

https://futurism.com/the-byte/sea-ot...ing-surfboards

**Don C L** · 17-07-2023, 20:04

Kind of a curious thing, but I am not too surprised. In 1975 I was in my fiberglass kayak off Cannery Row in Monterey and one just swam up and started gnawing on the end of my boat. Then, without hesitation, he, or she, jumped into the cockpit, into my lap and started rummaging around like he owned the place. I was frozen in fear at the thought getting a sharp bite, but after he was done and was bored he jumped out and took off. I'm pretty sure if he had figured out how to paddle he probably would have kicked me out and taken off with my boat.