Panic as sea lion attacks harbour rowers

A sea lion, believed to be the one that attacked the rowers, keeps visitors at bay near Ravensbourne. Photo / Otago Daily Times

It was panic stations in Otago Harbour yesterday after a sea lion attacked and holed a rowing boat, then chased the crew of eight back to shore.

The creature came up under the boat, hitting it twice and breaking through the hull in two places - causing it to take on water.

"I saw this dark figure looming under the boat, I felt it hit and seconds after water came gushing up ... it waspanic stations," said rower Matt Smail, who was sitting right above thebreak.

The eight-man University of Otago crew was about 200m offshore near St Leonards when the incident happened and decided to head to the closest boat ramp.

"It was the best 1km we rowed all morning. We went flat tack," Adam Garden said.

Then, when they got there and pulled the boat out of the water, the sea lion "came up for another inspection", he said.

"It walked up the ramp and gave us a bit of a snarl."

Otago University rowing coach Sonya Walker said rowers often saw sea lions in the harbour and normally managed to avoid them.

- Otago Daily Times