Wayward Sea Lion Swims 60 Miles Inland
A sea lion swam some 60 miles up the San Joaquin River and through canals into Merced County. The 315-pound animal was reported crawling in the middle of the road northeast of Los Banos. The animal basked in the sun on the back of a CHP patrol car while authorities waited for officials from the Sausalito-based Marine Mammal Center to retrieve him. Veterinarians found that the 315-pound sea lion had been shot in the head.

Abalone Season Opens April
A sure sign of the coming of spring is the annual opening of abalone season on April 1st. Abalone hunters must have a California fishing license with an abalone punch card. The daily bag and possession limit is now 3 and only 24 abalone may be taken per year. Make sure you have a legal abalone iron and gauge in the water with you and know all the rules. Rangers often set up abalone check points along Highway 1, and it is a good bet they will be out on opening weekend.

Squid Diving Moves Location
Just as night squid diving begins to fade in Southern California it picks up in Monterey. While the season for night diving to observe squid mating and laying eggs in Southern California is mainly during the winter, in Monterey they start show up during May and June. The six-inch little squirt rise from the depths at night to spawn and lay eggs in water depths of 60 to over 100 feet, mainly over sand bottoms. Sometimes there are only a few squid. Sometimes, it is like an underwater blizzard. The best way to observe the squid spawn off Monterey is to hook up with one of the charter boats in that area that make regular night trips out to the spawning grounds. Check with a Monterey area dive store.