Golfers in Carlsbad woke up on a sunny day of June 20, 2022, the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa golf course as their destination, unprepared to see a sea lion.
A video of the sea lion on the golf course shows her waddling around and whining on the grass of the field, trying to get to her designated destination.
Rescue Team Supervisor Jeni Smith explained, “The sea lion looked lost and confused.” Some people thought maybe she traveled up the lagoon, due to a high tide that last night, and ended up at this location. She ha
d to travel over 3 miles from the ocean to the course.
The decision was made to release the sea lion because of her pregnancy.
She was helped by multiple lifeguards and the SeaWorld Rescue Team to escort her back to the Carlsbad State Beach where she can have the time and patience to give birth to her new baby.
Kendall Dutcher, a student and golfer at Sage Creek, likes to golf with her Grandpa. She plays at The Crossings for the varsity Golf Team.
“I would expect to see a squirrel or a bunny most on a golf course, and if I saw one I would chase it away,” Kendall Dutcher said. Dutcher hasn’t ever played at the Omni La Costa Golf course.
At The Crossings, Coach Walther, the golf coach for Sage Creek, was asked a couple of questions. “I would have done exactly what the spa did if he saw a sea lion on a golf course; call the SeaWorld Rescue Team,” said Coach Walther at The Crossings. He would mostly expect to see birds on golf courses, like ducks. About a month ago, Coach Walther was in Kauai, and saw a Hawaiian Monk Seal on the shore of the island, rolling around. “I did contact the state of Hawaii to tell them about the incident, which is why I would do the same if I saw one on a golf course,” he said.
Most people would come to the conclusion that people would be very concerned if they saw a pregnant sea lion on the golf course they are playing at. individuals hope today that the sea lion is now safe in the ocean and ready to take care of her new baby seal.
