106 Boating New Zealand
Adult sea lions tagged at Enderby have shown up in
mainland Otago colonies days later where chances of pup
survival are better.
As our anchor rattles down to the sea loor of Sandy
Bay, Evohe comes alive. Laptops are lapped shut in the
saloon and yawning people emerge from the cabins. he
big RIB is lowered from the davits and the shuttle begins.
Onshore, a beachmaster (predominant male), raises
his head to inspect us intruders. he big males weigh
250-400kg and hold sway over harems of 25 or so females.
Some of these turn their heads to ix us with their
bloodshot eyes before slumping back onto the sand.
It’s hard to imagine these huge silver-grey furry
slugs being New Zealand’s largest animal – and critically
endangered to boot – or envisage them swimming 175km
and diving to 600m for a feed of ish.We’re soon south of
the Roaring Forties and
ascending the parallels of
the Screaming Fifties.