Elusive Surfboard-Stealing Otter 841 Back in Santa Cruz, up to her Old Tricks
East Bay Times | 5/28/24 | Ethan BarronSurfer Karl Anderle knew just whom he was dealing with Saturday in Santa Cruz when he turned around and saw a large adult sea otter sitting on the back of his board: Otter 841, the notorious marine mammal whose surfboard-stealing and wave-riding rampage last summer captured the world’s attention.
“I’m going over in my mind what I should do,” said Anderle, 69, who had been sitting up on his board at a surfing contest as a volunteer keeping non-competitors out of the competition zone. “I didn’t really want her to bite me. I didn’t want to be that guy fighting an otter in the middle of a surf contest. I had to maintain my cool.”
Anderle, who said he has observed Otter 841 frequently over the past couple of years and watched her steal a surfboard from a friend last summer, slid into the water and held onto his board as the creature, bearing her characteristic non-functional tracking tag, indulged her proclivity for chewing on soft-topped surfboards.
Anderle tipped his board up, hoping the animal would hop off, but she scooted up and clung on, he said. So, he decided he would “hang and chill and pretend that this is normal.”
The otter’s trail of mayhem shown in red:
Now if it was the Original Paddleboard-Purloining Otter, I would be worried…
… the dudes are all bummed out because the sets were blown-out by the Santa Anas, and Moondoggie found his best tri-fin short board full of tiny bite marks and smelling of sea urchins…
Brian Wilson: “Hey man I’ve got a new song idea: ‘Little Surfer Otter Girl’!
Nurse: “Fine, fine Brian now here’s your meds it’s time for your nap now.”
On This Week’s Episode of “The Elusive Surfboard-Stealing Otter,”
Otter 841 learns that the true treasure is the friends we’ve made along the way.
Otter: “Elusive? Dude, I’m right here eating your surfboard. “
On This Week’s Episode of “The Elusive Surfboard-Stealing Otter,” …
Omega Theta Pi gets teepeed.
On This Week’s Episode of “The Elusive Surfboard-Stealing Otter,” …
As rush chairman he was damn glad to meet you.