College student Stephanie Schechter was enjoying the good life when she set out for a beautiful day of surfing in her hometown of Santa Barbara, California, when she got the surprise of a lifetime from a very friendly little visitor!
Earlier this year on a seemingly picture-perfect April afternoon, Schechter set out for a surf session after class at University of California, Santa Barbara. The student and aspiring model set out on her longboard to surf a stretch of area where she says it's common to see playful animals.
"When the water is clear, I can see beautiful fish, rays, and sharks. Usually the kind that don't bite. One of the most breathtaking sights is to watch migrating whales pass through, but usually they're pretty far out to sea," said Schechter.
Although sea lions and seals also visit often,it is definitely uncommon for them to hop on top of a surfboard, but that's exactly what one friendly little sea lion pup did to Schechter! She sensed something was wrong, as the pup was so young to be away from its mother and was seeking comfort.
After a few hours with the adorable pup, who Schechter calls "Winnifred the Pinniped", she called Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center to come rescue the abandoned and hungry baby. The self-professed animal lover said of her experience "Being able to help a sea animal in need allowed me to give back to the place I love the most: the ocean. This was absolutely the most incredible and special event that I have ever experienced."
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Stephanie Schechter and the sea lion pup she rescued and lovingly named Winnifred the Pinniped.
Schechter was lucky the baby sea lion was so friendly. Experts advise against getting this close to seals and sea lions, as they tend to bite.
Schechter called Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center, who have seen a mysterious spike in the number of seal and sea lion pup rescues this year, to pick up the abandoned baby.
Winnifred received rehabilitation from the center and was released back into the sea after one month. Schechter shared her amazing day in a blog post for surf retailer Swell.com.
