Swim into Adventure with Leopard Sharks and Playful Seals at La Jolla Beach
Have you ever wanted to swim with sharks but felt scared due to their bad reputation? I have the perfect way to get close to the gentlest sharks! Or if sharks aren’t your preference, perhaps seals are?
Experience the excitement of swimming with leopard sharks and playful seals at La Jolla Beach, a unique coastal destination in Southern California. This vibrant shoreline provides a fantastic chance to observe these gentle marine animals in their natural habitat.
Whether you’re wading or snorkeling, the clear waters and rich sea life create unforgettable memories for visitors, young and old. Dive into the magic beneath the surface, where adventure and tranquility meet. This guide will provide all the tips, tricks, and information for a fun adventure in La Jolla!
Swimming with Leopard Sharks!
I was thrilled to discover I was in peak season while visiting San Diego to swim with the famous Leopard Sharks. If you read some of my Florida or Hawaii posts, you know I love swimming with sharks!
La Jolla’s shoreline sees heavy activity from June to December (I was there in August). That’s when hundreds of leopard sharks gather in the warm, shallow waters, which serve as a natural nursery. Being cold-blooded, these sharks benefit from the warmth and sunlight in shallow areas, which are believed to accelerate their 10 to 11-month gestation.
The still environment offers protection from larger predators, making it a great spot for close-up observation of these gentle animals. Rest assured, they are friendly and harmless to humans; they generally avoid us.
You can wade or snorkel near The Marine Room restaurant. I recommend arriving early, as parking can be limited. To make your visit smoother, consider renting your snorkel gear beforehand—many shops nearby offer rentals! Maybe if you are lucky, you will see a lobster crawling right below you, like I did! It was the first time I had seen one in the ocean!
Tips for Snorkeling with Leopard Sharks
Respect and protect La Jolla’s marine life by remaining calm and quiet in the water. This encourages sharks and seals to approach, but never attempt to touch or chase them, as disturbing wildlife in the State Marine Reserve is illegal.
For safety, shuffle your feet to avoid stingrays and float gently on the surface to enhance your viewing experience.
Avoid kicking vigorously. Floating quietly is the most effective way to observe these creatures.
Swimming with Seals in La Jolla Cove
I returned another day to snorkel with the seals. I’m glad I did because my first visit was on a weekend, and the tiny cove was crowded with people. It was overwhelming, but I appreciated having a volunteer there to educate visitors and keep them at a safe distance from the seals while they were ashore.
This area is quite small, and the stairs descending can be overwhelming, with many people watching, trying to get into the water to snorkel with the seals, or training for their triathlon.
If you're interested in swimming with what I call the puppies of the ocean, I highly recommend visiting early in the morning and avoiding weekends. Snorkeling with seals at La Jolla Cove offers an engaging, close-up encounter with some of the ocean’s most delightful creatures.
When you enter the protected cove, you'll usually find the water calm and clear. However, the day I was there, the water was rough. Despite this, I still had great interactions with the California sea lions and harbor seals as they played!
They are such curious animals and often swam close to me, circling and darting around me! One even flapped its flippers near me! Another was trying to eat trash. I did my best to try to grab the trash, but it made them even more curious, and the current was too strong for me to get it.
While these creatures can get quite close, they are playful and won’t harm you, though it might feel different on land since movement is more restricted there for them.
Tips for Snorkeling or Watching the Seals
As I mentioned earlier, arrive early in the morning or on weekdays to avoid crowds, ensuring a calmer and more enjoyable snorkeling experience with seals.
Float quietly and avoid vigorous kicking; gentle movements help you observe seals more closely without startling them.
Keep a safe distance and never try to feed the seals, respecting their natural behavior and following local guidelines.
Let curious seals come to you instead of chasing them; this allows for genuine encounters while keeping the animals comfortable.
If you choose to relax on the beach instead, please stay 50 feet away from the seals. This benefits both you and the seals. That means no selfies closer than 50 feet.
Also, under NO circumstances should you throw sand or rocks at them, or you may have someone like me yelling at you. Yes, I did yell at a child after telling his parents and everyone around him six times to leave the animals alone and back up. Sorry, but NOT sorry.
So, what do you think, friends? Will you swim with incredible sharks? Or perhaps with seals? Or at least visit the stunning La Jolla Cove? I promise you won't regret it, unless you choose not to go!
