A group of cold-dippers were caught off-guard early Monday morning when they had an unsuspecting sea lion encounter at Esquimalt Lagoon.
According to Ennio Titarenko, who was one of the group in the water at the time, a sea lion approached them as they were getting deeper into the water, and lunged at them.
The video captured shows just how close the sea lion got.
“No one was hurt and the sea lion didn’t actually touch us—just came at us pretty fast,” Titarenko told Victoria Buzz.
He added that this was the first time he ever had an encounter this close, and he wouldn’t do anything differently if it were to happen again.
“Honestly, probably wouldn’t change anything—just keep an eye out and like this time, get out if a sea lion wants the spot more than we do,” he said.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), when encountering seals, sea lions or walruses in the water, as Titarenko did, it is best to move away slowly at the first sign of disturbance or agitation.
If the animal starts to stare, fidget or dive into the water, you are too close.