9-Year-Old Girl Bitten by Sea Lion at California Surf Camp

A rare incident occurred at a California surf camp when a 9-year-old girl was bitten by a sea lion while in the water.

Corale Olsen shared her experience, revealing that she was surfing alongside her brother and sister at Asilomar Beach near Monterey when the sea lion appeared unexpectedly. “It was right next to me, and I thought, ‘Oh, well, something really bad is going to happen,'” she recalled.

She explained that they were already quite far from the shore when the attack happened. The young surfer described feeling a bite on her foot, followed by pain and then screaming.

Corale believes her surf instructor, Alex de Marignac, swiftly took action to get her and her siblings to safety as the lifeguard observed the situation. De Marignac recalled rushing through the waves with “two kids and one child hanging from my neck under each arm.” He felt immense relief once they were all safely on the beach.

Having surfed these waters since he was about six, De Marignac noted that he had never seen anything like this before. “Most kids just chase sea lions around, and nothing happens,” he said.

Although bites from sea lions are not common, they can occur, especially if the animals are affected by domoic acid poisoning linked to toxic algae blooms. De Marignac speculated that the sea lions may have been protecting their territory during the encounter.

He advised against getting too close to these animals, stating, “I think the rule of thumb is to give the animals space. Being curious is fine, but you won’t get a better view by getting closer.”

Despite the ordeal, Corale expressed that she wouldn’t let this incident deter her from enjoying the ocean. “If something happens, it doesn’t mean you stop doing what you like,” she confidently told reporters.