Slough safari
Get close to Monterey-area seals and otters
“Look, he’s periscoping.” Captain Yohn Gideon is pointing to a harbor seal near our boat. The seal pokes the top half of his head out of the water, looks around, then silently sinks like a scope retracting. It’s an amusing sight and a great start to our pontoon-boat tour into Elkhorn Slough near Moss Landing, 15 miles north of Monterey.
Today, with the hills a vivid green and the water glassy, it’s easy to see why spring is Gideon’s favorite time in Elkhorn Slough.Our boat noses into the tidal marsh, and we spot nesting egrets and barking sea lions. But Gideon is looking for pups.
“The slough’s safe, calm waters make this a paradise for sea otters and harbor seals,” he says. Into May, you’ll find both mammals here ― including many seal and otter pups.