Elkhorn Slough is home to pupping harbor seals, endangered birds and the world's densest concentration of southern sea otters – including one that's learned a deadly new trick.
It's a sunny summer afternoon and our group is about to embark on a tour of the Elkhorn Slough, a wonderfully biodiverse tidal estuary in Monterey County. The slough is home to pupping harbor seals, endangered birds and the world's densest concentration of southern sea otters – including one that's learned a deadly new trick. Our tour company is Monterey Bay Eco Tours and our watercraft is a 37-foot, ADA-compliant catamaran called the El Cat. We get comfortable on padded seats and whip out binoculars and birding guides. “This is an inland waterway and it's calm,” announces our captain. “Feel free to stand up, stretch your legs and walk around. But please try to keep two-thirds of your child, or husband, inside the boat at all times.” The El Cat is unique in this world. Company owner Wendy Kitchell custom-built it with brother Joseph Kitchell using a proprietary epoxy-infusion system. It's so strong and lightweight a cargo ship could run it over and th
Visit Elkhorn Slough, Monterey's sea-otter paradise, in a unique electric catamaran mercurynews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mercurynews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.