Going down to the beach to...

Going down to the beach to check out a sea lion that had come

ashore at 54th Street was a change of pace. It was kind of fun to see

the big guy just hanging out on the beach soaking up some sun.

At first, I thought he might be ill, like so many of the other sea

creatures that wash ashore throughout the year. This was different.

This guy was healthy and let everyone know it with his loud barking

and erratic pacing along the shoreline.

A spectator said to me that it looked like the sea lion was posing

for the camera when he would swing his head from left to right -- I

guess to strike the best pose. After he became tired of being such a

spectacle, he just waddled off and swam away through the surf.

Seeing him was the highlight of my day, making me feel like a kid

again.

-- Sean Hiller