In a spectacle taken right out of National Geographic, hundreds of sea lions have taken over a small beach on the mid Island.<\/p>\n
The sandy spit in Deep Bay is now the scene of a major haul-out as the beasts presumably await the herring run.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a sight that long time residents here have never witnessed before.<\/p>\n
Watch below:<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, just to see nature up close like this is pretty spectacular,\u201d said Gary Holisko.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sea lions come every year but they are usually on the docks or just floating around but we\u2019ve never seen anything like this,\u201d said 25-year Deep Bay resident Olga McClean.<\/p>\n
The sight is leaving some people almost speechless.<\/p>\n
\u201cI, it\u2019s, it\u2019s kind of hard to believe, it\u2019s a little surreal, I\u2019ve never been this close to them before,\u201d said Gregory Vinnish.<\/p>\n
The sea lions are hauling out on the spit at the end of Mapleguard Point, a beautiful spot year round and now hundreds of sea lions know it as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cWell we see them out in the marina, we\u2019ve seen them out in the floats in the marina but this is the first year we\u2019ve seen them up on the beach out of the water and they\u2019re really interesting and they\u2019re noisy,\u201d added Rosanne Hood.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can imagine just a few come up then a few more come up and then, this is twice as many as there were yesterday,\u201d stated Ken McClean.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s like something you see and hear on National Geographic and the sea lions are likely here waiting for the annual herring run. <\/p>\n
Several boats from the herring fishing fleet are also waiting on the water near the north end of Lambert Channel between Denman and Hornby islands, anticipating an opening announced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada any day now.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo when it gets close the boats are out looking for the schools of herring and then they set on them when the opening happens,\u201d said former herring fisherman Oliver Clifton who was also checking out the sea lions Sunday.<\/p>\n
Bev Simpson heard about them on social media and decided to jump in her car and drive from Parksville to see them for herself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love them because I\u2019m an artist and wanted to see what I paint and yeah I think they\u2019re interesting, they\u2019re kind of like cats, you know they\u2019re just lazy, lay in the sun until there\u2019s something to eat,\u201d Simpson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came up to take pictures of kingfishers and longtails and lo and behold the sea lions were here so I\u2019ve been here for about five hours just loving the day, it\u2019s amazing,\u201d said Rolf.<\/p>\n
No one\u2019s really sure how long these visitors plan on staying.<\/p>\n