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Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Sea Lions, San Francisco

Posted by Alex Turnbull, Wednesday, 14th December 2005

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This is San Francisco’s popular tourist spot, Pier 39, and covering nearly every square inch of those floating docks in the harbour are hundreds upon hundreds of sea lions. The light coloured patch in the middle-left is the only bit left uncovered by the marine mammals - which you can see much more easily in Google Earth. Although… there seems to be a lot less of them in GE, and it doesn’t look like such a nice day either!

Apparently the only thing missing is the smell… ;-)

For any of you unconvinved that these really are sea lions, here’s the proof!

Thanks to Matthew Brown, Michael Lustig, Jeff Burton, Markus and Andy de la Rosa.

Countries: California

Posted in: ,

Related Posts: Google Sightseeing 2007 Awards, Manatees, Whale Spotting in Google Earth, Invasion of the Giant Seals, Dolphin Pool

6 Responses to 'Sea Lions, San Francisco'

  1. 1. Andy says: December 14th, 2005 at 8:45 pm

    They look more like seals to me…

    :P

  2. 2. Nelson says: December 14th, 2005 at 9:02 pm

    Unless I’m mistaken the bit in the water just on the left edge of the screenshot is Forbe’s Island, a wacky floating restaurant / overgrown houseboat / artificial island.

  3. 3. ruxxell says: December 14th, 2005 at 10:18 pm

    this actual spot is portrayed in tony hawk pro-skater 4’s sanfrancisco level. you have to “feed the sea lions”. there’s only four of them in the game, i think.

  4. 4. Mark says: December 15th, 2005 at 3:55 pm

    Looks like this photo was taken on a fall Sunday between 1 and 4, because if you scroll down the bay’s coast to Candlestick Park, you’ll find the parking lots are full and a 49ers game is going on. Nothing happening at PacBell where the Giants play baseball, though…

  5. 5. Snark says: December 16th, 2005 at 3:24 pm

    Mark: “Down” the bay? Is that left or right from the seals?

  6. 6. Alex says: December 16th, 2005 at 3:39 pm

    Snark - we posted it already anyway ;-)

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