Sunday we spent the day at the beach.

It was gorgeous.

The agenda included relaxing, reading and drinking in the serene surroundings.

A few hours into our stay I looked up and there was a baby seal perched on a rock approximately 50 yards away.

I exuded youthful enthusiasm.

I noticed he wasn’t moving around very much and acting a bit erratically…my motherly instinct kicked in.

I kept an eye on the dormant seal and then he swam across the inlet to the rocky wall and lumbered up the side.

He just didn’t look right.

I sought out the lifeguard and we called Animal Rescue.

The baby was exhibiting symptoms of domoic acid poisoning, caused by eating sardines and anchovies that have fed on toxic algae blooms.

Researchers at NOAA have reported that large algae blooms, fed by fertilizers and runoff from recent rains, have sprung up along the coastline.

In large concentrations, the algae produce neurotoxins that destroy the brain.

The staff member from the Marine Mammal Center in Los Angeles said the seal could also be starving from lack of available food.

It took 2 hours for Animal Rescue to show up…that many seals were stranded.

He donned thigh high rubber boots and grabbed a huge net that looked like a swimming pool skimmer.

The baby put up very little resistance.

The rescuer cradled the seal and deposited him in a special cage on the back of the pick up truck.

I was close to tears.

He reassured me that they would do everything possible to nurse the pup back to health and then release him into the ocean.

I cannot believe how affected I was by the incident.

Unfortunately, with all the insanity in this country, some days I just cannot muster  compassion for my fellow human.

And, of course, let us not forget that there is no global warming.

I can only hope that the seal is feeling swimmingly very soon.