Sleeping Giant

It's an exciting time at the beaches along the central coast of California as more and more elephant seals return in anticipation of the upcoming birthing and breeding season. Day by day more and more males of all ages are both seen and heard on the beaches and in the shallows as they come to join the early arrived handful of adult females, who are conceivably pregnant. Along with these more mature elephant seals, one can still see plenty of juveniles, often with their fur turning tan in preparation for next year's molting season.
Recently, HUGE adult male elephant seals with their large trunks have started to lay claim to their section of a beach. Not only have they taken up residency at the main colony by the Piedras Blancas lighthouse but also at several of the other beaches north and south of there. Most of them seem to spend their days sleeping after their long trek south after feeding and bulking up for the past few months. No doubt,they're also conserving their strength to be able to fight the inevitable battles of the upcoming months ashore.

Current weather at Piedras Blancas: