Aww!
Hungry sea lion hitches ride on back of boat to entertain tourists for bait fish
This hefty little fella sure knows how to swoon the ladies. She is a lot braver than I am.
Kate Miano
09.07.21

There are a few experiences in life you don’t get every day. Having an animal make invite itself into your space is definitely one of those.

Especially if that animal is a sea lion and you are in a motorboat. But in Mexico, one sea lion went viral for his uncommon hijinks.

One couple was off on a beautiful honeymoon.

Pexels - mentatdgt
Source:
Pexels - mentatdgt

Rachel Shepherd and her husband were honeymooning in Mexico.

To make things even better, they decided to take a boat ride and fish for marlin and dorados. But they didn’t expect the surprise they would get on their way back.

A sea lion jumped right up on their boat.

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

Maybe he smelled the remaining live bait they had with them, or maybe he just wanted to play.

Sea lions are known for being quite friendly, loud, and loved by people. They are also fast swimmers and equally adept at moving on land, which is maybe why this one had such an easy time jumping onto the side of the boat.

They fed him fish.

flickr - _TC Photography_
Source:
flickr - _TC Photography_

The couple still had live bait left over from their fishing trip.

Live bait, especially the types that are suitable for ocean fishing, is typically just smaller fish that the bigger fish will want to snack on.

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

When this sea lion leaped up onto his perch on the boat, he probably had one thing in mind: convincing the humans to give him the yummy fish.

They obliged, for much of their boat ride, he hung on to the boat and they fed him fish by hand.

How could you resist this face?

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

Although you’re typically not supposed to feed wildlife, it’s pretty hard to say no to a request like this.

This sea lion charmed the humans with his inquisitiveness and friendly attitude. It’s not every day that a wild animal makes themselves right at home with you.

Some pelicans hopped on board too.

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

This feeding frenzy became a certified party when some pelicans saw what was going on. They swooped down and landed on the edge of the boat, right next to the sea lion. And yes, they got fed too.

Soon the first sea lion was full, so he made room for the others.

After having a few fish, the first sea lion decided to move on. He let the humans pet him a little bit and then he swam away.

But there was a seal lining up behind him. It started to poke its head out of the water, and after a few moments of hesitation and swimming away, he also popped up onto the boat for food.

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

The seal got fed and then hung around on the boat for a while.

He more or less hitched a ride around the harbor.

After having some fun, he also swam away.

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

Everyone in the comments was delighted.

One person jokes:

“While other sea lions are deep in the sea hunting fishes, here’s bob trading his cute smile for fish”

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

While someone else says:

“Just look at how much this sea lion is happy with the situation he’s in. This is adorable”

This is one adorable interaction with nature.

YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Rachel Shephard

I’m going to reiterate: you probably shouldn’t go around feeding wild animals. But, if a sea lion happens to jump on your boat, maybe you can make an exception to the rule.

That is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and the fact that she got to pet him too? That’s the cherry on top of the cake.

See their hilariously unique interaction in the video below!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Article Sources:
To learn more read our Editorial Standards.
Advertisement