Sara Maxwell at UCSC Long Marine Lab, CA -- Back to San Nicolas Island where Melinda Fowler and her crew are still working hard to catch the sea lions that were satellite tagged last November.  In the last blog, I told you how to find your sea lion.

So once you've found the sea lion you are looking for, how do you actually catch it? 

One of the 10 California sea lions we are aiming to get tags back from on San Nicolas Island. Photo: Sara Maxwell

It takes some very big nets like this:

Phil Thorson, Sara Maxwell and Melinda Fowler lug the catching nets around the island. Photo: Sam Simmons

Your stealth is put to the test - how slowly, quietly and low to the ground can you crawl to get to your sea lion?

Melinda Fowler, Phil Thorson and Sam Simmons (hidden behind net!) sneak towards the sea lion in question. Photo: Sara Maxwell

Then you get as close as possible (note the brown 'rock' on the left side of the picture that is actually a sea lion!)....

Phil Thorson inches slowly and quietly foward through a maze of elephant seals. Photo: Sara Maxwell

And then run as fast as you can to put your net over her - but don't fall on the slippery rocks!   It's not easy, but it sure is a lot of fun for us, and not too hard on the sea lions!