A harem of California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) lay on a Coast Guard's buoy near the Santa Monica Pier on Tuesday, July 7, 2009. Sea Lions are quite intelligent, can adapt to man-made environments, and can be easily trained. Because of this, California sea lions are commonly used for entertainment in circuses, zoos and marine parks; and are used by the US Navy for certain military operations.They can be trained to do different behaviors such as throwing and catching balls on their noses, running up ladders, or honking horns in a musical fashion.California sea lions grows to 660 lb and 8 ft long, while females are significantly smaller, at 210 lb and 6.5 ft long. California sea lions feed on a wide variety of seafood, mainly squid and fish; sometimes even clams. They will cooperate with dolphins, sharks, and seabirds when hunting large schools of fish.

A harem of California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) lay on the 'Monica One' at the Santa Monica Pier on Friday, May 22, 2009. Sea Lionsare quite intelligent, can adapt to man-made environments, and can be easily trained. Because of this, California sea lions are commonly used for entertainment in circuses, zoos and marine parks; and are used by the US Navy for certain military operations.They can be trained to do different behaviors such as throwing and catching balls on their noses, running up ladders, or honking horns in a musical fashion.California sea lions grows to 660 lb and 8 ft long, while females are significantly smaller, at 210 lb and 6.5 ft long.

Santa Monica Police Harbor Patrol Officers Alex Smith and his partner is Gevorg Akopyan navigate the "Tango I," a 16 foot Zodiac, at Santa Monica Bay during a training session on Saturday, April, 11, 2009.

A pelican takes a nosedive into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, January 2, 2009. Pelicans are a large, gregarious aquatic bird of warm regions, allied to the cormorants and gannets. They are heavy-bodied, long-necked birds with large, flat bills. Pelicans are graceful swimmers and fliers, often seen flying in long lines or circling at great heights. The pelicans are indeed famous for their beaks, which they fill with huge gulps of water, strain out the liquid, and eat the remaining fish or squid. The California brown pelicanis strictly an ocean bird.

"Oh, a wondrous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week.
But I'm darned if I know how the helican."
Dixon Lanier Merritt
(1879-1972)

A ship sales south in Santa Monica Bay on Sunday, June 15, 2008. 

Arthur Nakane, a One-Man-Band, plays at the Santa Monica Pier on Wednesday, May 14, 2008. Nakane can perform up to seven instruments at one time; an electric guitar, he has a drum machine for drum beat affects, plays keyboards with the tip of his guitar, plays the harmonica and the electric kazoo, shakes the tambourine and maracas, strikes symbols and sings duets by himself with on the spot recording.  Nakane has been performing as a One-Man-Band since 1976. Prior to that, he was a high school teacher were he only earned $700.00 per month. He says that the custodians would make $900.00 per month. In order to supplement his income to support his family, he would perform music on the weekends. He currently works as a translator during the day.