San Diego, California - The Seals of Children's Beach at La Jolla

La Jolla is a coastal district of San Diego located northwest of downtown. Its rugged seacoast, resorts, shopping, and culture make it an extremely popular destination for visitors.

A very pleasant surprise awaits visitors to La Jolla. A corner of the shore, known as Children's Beach, has been set aside as a marine mammal refuge. Here, wild seals congregate without fear of human harrassment. People are allowed to mingle freely on this beach as long as they don't bother the seals. This provides an excellent opportunity to take closeup shots of wild seals.

The breakwater was originally constructed to create a sheltered beach for children. Hence the name, Children's Beach. However the seals found the pleasant beach to their liking and took it over.

The downside is that the seals' waste matter have made the area unsafe for human swimmers. Proposals have been made to make changes which would reduce the number of seals. So far the seal lovers have held the upper hand in maintaining the status quo. (See National Geographic magazine, June, 1999, Earth Almanac section.)

(Left) A happy seal snoozes contentedly away, oblivious to the camera a few feet from its face.
(Right) This wide-awake seal was more than happy to strike a pose for us.

(Left) A group of seals laze on the beach without concern for the tourists standing nearby. The group includes mothers with pups.
(Right) Those seals who prefer a little bit more privacy congregate on nearby Seal Rock which is perhaps 100 yards off the beach.