“Sea”ing the Otters

By Isaac Rath and Katie Milsky

Photos by Isaac Rath

See what we did there?

Otters tend to be a fan favorite - but for most, the only place they know to view them is at the zoo. If watching sea otters in the wild is your goal, there are a few things you should know. Most importantly - what kind of otters are near you? If you live on the coast, we’re likely looking for sea otters, while if you are inland in say, Wyoming or Idaho, it’s going to be river otters. Like most wildlife, early in the morning and late in the evening is going to be the superior times to look, and it definitely helps to be familiar with the tides. Be prepared to get wet and be close to the waves.

Last year in the fall, I went to the coast of California to find and photograph sea otters. Monterey Bay is a popular location of these aquatic members of the weasel family, and Moss Landing is the specific place I photographed these guys. When I got there, the tide was out and just starting to come in, which meant the coastal wildlife would be more active. My spotter, Katie, helped me find otters, seals, and some coastal birds in the area. Despite being in California, the water was pretty cold. Sometimes you have to get a little wet for the perfect shot!

When we first found the otters, it was a mating pair (literally). We watched them for a few minutes until we realized what was happening and then left them to their…uh…business. Moving on, we went to find more otters in more appropriate settings. We headed over to the jetty to see what was there and found a few otters feeding.

I was hoping to get a photo of an otter feeding, and this was a challenging shot to capture because I wanted to get down to eye level with the otter, which brought me very close to the waves. As I approached the water, Katie would let me know if a big wave was coming and where the otter was. With the waves making it difficult to keep constant eyes on the otter, Katie guided me on where he was likely to surface. After a lot of patience and some time, one of the otters popped up only six meters away from me. I stayed still, and the otter wasn't bothered by my presence, allowing me to get some good shots of him. Afterward, I turned to give Katie a thumbs up, and at that moment, a wave crashed right below me, soaking me with salt water. Good spotters are hard to find these days…