Sea lion makes splash at Monterey Bay race as it joins canoe crew
A sea lion surprised paddlers during the Monterey Hoe Wa’a race by jumping onto their canoe. The incident, which was captured on video, caused a moment of panic but resulted in no injuries. The team, Outrigger Santa Cruz, managed to finish third despite the unexpected encounter.
- ▪The sea lion leaped onto the canoe during the race on May 23.
- ▪Paddler Channing Baker initially thought the animal was a shark.
- ▪The team shared footage of the encounter on Instagram, describing it as a unique experience.
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Metro Sea lion makes splash at Monterey Bay race as it joins canoe crew By Nina Joudeh Published May 27, 2026, 7:48 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The California Post on Google A racing team slicing through the waters of Monterey Bay over Memorial Day weekend got the shock of a lifetime when an overexcited sea lion launched itself straight onto their outrigger canoe in a now-viral moment caught on camera. The wild encounter unfolded during the Monterey Hoe Wa’a race on May 23, when the marine mammal suddenly burst from the water and landed directly on the narrow racing canoe packed with paddlers from Outrigger Santa Cruz. “I just screamed my head off,” paddler Channing Baker, who was sitting in seat three, told KTVU on Wednesday.
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