Though I live in Ventura, for the last eight years I have enjoyed almost weekly walks along the beautiful bluffs of Carpinteria. It is one of the most majestic places for a walk and I have enjoyed bringing many visitors to this area.
I always stopped to see the harbor seals, but many times they were not there. I happened to meet a Seal Watch volunteer one day, who explained about her job and about the seals to me. I was very enthused and decided I, too, could spend two hours a week to help protect these beautiful creatures and educate the public about them.
In January, I started spending each Sunday at the Seal Watch. I was astounded to see tourists from all over the globe coming to see the seals! On one of the busiest days on my watch we had over 100 people per hour! Every language, every continent! How did people know about this attraction? I engaged in conversation with many people and they asked, where can we eat here? Where is there shopping in Carpinteria? Sometimes tourists came from LAX to Carp to see the seals directly while driving north on the 101. I could not believe how interested the adults and children alike were in learning about these adorable mammals. People were excited and spent sometimes 15 to 20 minutes just observing the seals.