Sea Otters Challenge Surfers for Supremacy at Santa Cruz, California's Steamer Lane Beach

By Mike Hunt

Recent encounters between southern sea otters and surfers at Steamer Lane, a renowned surf spot along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, have prompted safety advisories from local authorities, echoing incidents from two years prior involving a notorious otter known as 841. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Santa Cruz Fire Department reported multiple interactions this week, including a sea otter nipping a surfer's foot and commandeering her surfboard, highlighting growing overlaps between recovering otter populations and human ocean users.

On Wednesday, October 15, 21-year-old college student Isabella Orduna was paddling at Steamer Lane when she felt a bite on her foot, prompting her to submerge briefly. Upon resurfacing, she observed a sea otter perched on her surfboard. The incident triggered a water rescue by the Santa Cruz Fire Department, with lifeguards escorting Orduna to shore uninjured. Marine safety officers then retrieved the board from the otter after it refused to vacate for approximately 20 minutes. Orduna, who sustained no serious harm, described the otter as a "big, fuzzy, chunky bear" and expressed no grudge, though she noted increased caution in the lineup.

The following day, October 16, local photographer Mark Woodward, known as Native Santa Cruz, documented two additional incidents at the same location. One involved a sea otter jumping onto a surfer's longboard while the individual was in the water. In the second, another otter attempted to seize a shortboard, ignoring nearby surfers as it foraged. Woodward reported the otters appeared focused on feeding but showed diminished wariness toward humans, a behavior experts link to habituation from frequent coastal disturbances.

Orduna, who sustained no serious harm, described the otter as a "big, fuzzy, chunky bear" and expressed no grudge, though she noted increased caution in the lineup

These events revive memories of Otter 841, a female sea otter rehabilitated at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and released in 2020. Tagged with a tracking device at the time, 841 gained fame in 2023 for repeatedly approaching surfers and kayakers at Steamer Lane, climbing aboard vessels, and displaying aggressive posturing. Wildlife officials relocated her multiple times to reduce conflicts, but her tracker ceased functioning in 2024, making identification impossible. Jessica Fujii, sea otter program manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, noted that while 841's current status is unknown, the recent otter's actions mirror her pattern, suggesting a possible return or behavioral mimicry among local otters.

Experts attribute the uptick in interactions to population dynamics. California's southern sea otter population, which plummeted to about 50 individuals in the 1930s due to fur trade overhunting, has rebounded to approximately 3,000 as of 2025, per U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates. Many reside in central coast areas like Monterey Bay, overlapping with popular surf zones. Gena Bentall, director of Sea Otter Savvy, a nonprofit focused on minimizing human disturbances, explained that both otter numbers and surfer traffic at Steamer Lane have increased steadily, leading to more frequent close encounters.

A March 2025 study in the Journal of Wildlife Management found that sea otters in these waters experience human disturbances up to six times daily on average, eroding their natural fear of people and increasing risks of energy depletion from fleeing or bold approaches.

No injuries beyond minor nips have been reported in the current incidents, but officials emphasize the potential hazards. Sea otters, listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, can carry pathogens transmissible to humans, and stressed interactions may harm the animals' foraging efficiency. In response, the Santa Cruz Fire Department posted warning signs at Steamer Lane on October 17, advising surfers: If an otter boards your craft, exit the water calmly, clap hands to startle it, and splash from a distance to encourage departure without physical contact. Feeding or approaching otters is prohibited, with violations punishable by fines up to $1,000.

Conservation groups like Sea Otter Savvy urge responsible viewing: Maintain at least 50 yards of distance, avoid drones or flash photography, and report aggressive behavior to the CDFW hotline at (831) 649-2870. Bentall stressed that while charming, these encounters underscore the need for coexistence education, as otters play a vital ecological role by controlling kelp forest herbivores like sea urchins. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is monitoring the situation and may deploy temporary barriers if interactions escalate, similar to measures used with Otter 841.

Local surfers have mixed reactions. Woodward, a longtime wave rider, captured photos of the otters tugging leashes and perching on boards, calling them "feisty" but advocating respect for ocean guests. Community forums on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) show a blend of amusement-posts tagging #OtterSurfing with viral images-and calls for vigilance, with one user noting, "Respect the lineup, furry or not." As of Thursday, no further incidents were reported, but officials anticipate more as otter foraging peaks in fall.