By: Connie Young

Just a few miles north of Cambria and San Simeon, watch wildlife lazing on the beach in the California sun. Not your usual assortment of seagulls, brown pelicans and shore birds. No, I'm talking gigantic Elephant Seals. These enormous creatures at the Piedras Blancas colony number more than 7,500 and many can be seen on the beach almost any day of the year.

A lookout point as well as elephant seal observation point, these giant creatures bask in the sunshine of this white beach under the protective eye of state park personnel. The location is the year-around home to the seals. Winter brings new births to the colony and often young pups can be seen venturing in and out of the surf.

The vista point has a number of excellent educational and interpretive signs which chronicle the lives and habits of these aquatic mammals. Most weekends, docents are onsite to answer questions from 8 am to sunset. Tour bus companies can request personal docents to assist them by calling 1-805/924-1628. There is a large parking lot, various viewing platforms with information boards and the boardwalk to the platforms is flat, providing easy access for the elderly or handicapped. Bring your zoom lenses along for close-up photos.

Friends of the Elephant Seal

Just a few miles north of Cambria and San Simeon, watch wildlife lazing on the beach in the California sun. Not your usual assortment of seagulls, brown pelicans and shore birds. No, I'm talking gigantic Elephant Seals. These enormous creatures at the Piedras Blancas colony number more than 7,500 and many can be seen on the beach almost any day of the year.

A lookout point as well as elephant seal observation point, these giant creatures bask in the sunshine of this white beach under the protective eye of state park personnel. The location is the year-around home to the seals. Winter brings new births to the colony and often young pups can be seen venturing in and out of the surf.

The vista point has a number of excellent educational and interpretive signs which chronicle the lives and habits of these aquatic mammals. Most weekends, docents are onsite to answer questions from 8 am to sunset. Tour bus companies can request personal docents to assist them by calling 1-805/924-1628. There is a large parking lot, various viewing platforms with information boards and the boardwalk to the platforms is flat, providing easy access for the elderly or handicapped. Bring your zoom lenses along for close-up photos.

Friends of the Elephant Seal

Friends of the Elephant Seal is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people about the elephant seals and to teaching stewardship for the ocean of the Central Coast of California. They maintain an office in San Simeon. It's located in the Plaza de Cavalier next door to the San Simeon chamber of Commerce. Information, gifts and other fun elephant seal related goodies can be purchased. To learn more about the elephant seals, visit Friends of the Elephant Seal website at www.elephantseal.org