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A sea lion surprised a canoe team in Monterey, Calif., by leaping onto their boat during a Memorial Day weekend race
The rare encounter “startled” the team, Outrigger Santa Cruz, but they quickly resumed paddling and finished the race with smiles
The cameraman who captured the dramatic moment said the crew was “tickled by this unique and rare encounter with this beautiful animal”
A sea lion decided to crash a California canoe race — literally.
An outrigger canoe team of six was competing in a race in Monterey, Calif., over Memorial Day weekend when a special marine guest came aboard briefly.
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The whole surprising incident was captured on video. In the clip, the team of racers paddles vigorously in sync in a light-blue canoe that reads “Outrigger Santa Cruz.”
Several seconds into the video, a sea lion’s head pops up in the water near the front of the canoe. The sea lion then dives back underwater as the canoe sails past, where the marine mammal last appeared.
Sea lion jumps toward canoe racers
Credit: Alan Luckow via Storyful
A few seconds later, the sea lion returns with a splash. In the video, the animal jumps out of the water and lands on the front of the canoe, splashing several paddlers.
In response, the paddlers near the front of the canoe momentarily pause their paddling and squeal as the sea lion splashes them. The animal then exits as quickly as it came, hopping back into the water.
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“Oh my God!” one of the front paddlers exclaims as she looks back at the sea lion, while another exclaims that it was a “crazy” sight.
Sea lion jumps on canoe racing in California bay
Credit: Alan Luckow via Storyful
Alan Luckow, who captured the moment using his 360 camera, told Storyful that several of the canoe paddlers were “startled” by the incident.
“During the race, they were startled by a sea lion that apparently wanted to be part of the team. Unfortunately, there are only six spots in an outrigger canoe,” Luckow told Storyful.
Despite the distraction, the canoe paddlers were quick to snap back into action. In the video, one of the paddlers in the back advises the crew, “Keep paddling.” As another says, “Go, go, go.”
Sea lion jumps out of water near canoe racing in California bay
Credit: Alan Luckow via Storyful
The camera pans to the rest of the crew, showing that all the canoe’s occupants had smiles on their faces after their run-in with the sea lion.
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“The team was Outrigger Santa Cruz. Crew members were all smiles in the boat and tickled by this unique and rare encounter with this beautiful animal,” Luckow recalled.
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