Sea lions invade regional surf lifesaving tent in Dunedin for siesta

A sleepy sea lion using your clothes as a pillow is a problem few beachgoers face.

But attendees at a regional surf lifesaving event found this was just the case when they went to fetch their bags at the junior carnival in St Clair on Sunday.

Carnival-goer Justin Stott said he had seen sea lions before while surfing, but never that close.

“To me, it looked like they were just having a bit of a sleep and a rest in the tent.

“They looked very comfortable and relaxed — didn’t seem fazed by people at all.

“One of them looked like it was using the clothes and stuff as a pillow.”

Two sea lions lie down for a rest underneath a tent at the junior carnival in St Clair on Sunday. Photo / Justin Stott

The carnival is a monthly event that brings together all the surf lifesaving clubs around Otago. St Clair was taking its turn to host.

St Clair Surf Life Saving Club junior co-ordinator Jon Richardson said the pair of sea lions decided they wanted to semi-participate in the carnival proceedings, before making themselves at home in the tent.

Attendees chose to leave them to their nap.

While sea lions were a regular sight at St Clair, it was not every day you saw them having a sleep among beachgoers’ belongings.

“Everyone’s clothes would have been pretty smelly afterwards”, he said.

“They’re not particularly good in terms of smell, are they?”

The sighting was a unique case where the sea lions acted incredibly docile, as they could otherwise get quite protective, Mr Richardson said.

He advised people to follow Department of Conservation guidelines: keep their distance, put their dogs on a lead and leave the sea lions alone.

Coastal Biodiversity Otago ranger Jim Fyfe said the tent looked like a “very cool place to hang out on a hot day”.