Hungry sea lion photobombs fisherman's victory picture, tries to drown him http://t.co/4Zl85CYsJX pic.twitter.com/ARt8xqZtZE
— 13News Now (@13NewsNow) June 7, 2015
Fisherman Dan Carlin of San Diego was enjoying a moment of celebration with one of his big catches, posing for a picture while holding one of five yellowtail he caught that day. He had seen a few sea lions in the area on his way back to the port, but he could not have expected what happened next.
“At the moment [my wife] said “Smile!” a sea lion had leapt about seven feet out of the water to get the fish, and grabbed my left hand in the process. Sea lions have canine teeth, just like a dog. It dragged me headfirst into the water. I’d actually seen it out of the corner of my eye a split second before I felt the pain. It was big and had such strength. It pulled me straight down to the bottom of the bay, about 25-30 feet. I was moving incredibly fast through the water. It whipped me back and forth five or six times. I thought, ‘Well, now you know how you are going to die.'”
Carlin struggled with the sea lion underwater for a few moments before he finally broke free, but on his way up to the surface, the sea lion got in one last bite to his ankle. Carlin spent two days in the hospital, but thankfully has no serious injuries.
Perhaps best of all, he has one hell of a story to tell, and a fascinating picture to prove it.
[via 13 News Now, the Guardian]
