Brown Pelicans!

Why is it that Pelicans love to hang around boats so much? During my years in the Caribbean as well as over here in Florida, every time I’m around any boats, I’ll see a bunch of pelicans hanging out either on the boats and otherwise nearby. The Kyalami is docked at the end of the U-Tiki Marina, where the fish cleaning station is, so I understand why they would like that spot. Who doesn’t like a free meal right? But when I was in the Caribbean and would swim out to the boat that we kept on a mooring about a hundred yards away from the beach, it would also always be loaded with pelicans. I would be yelling through my snorkel while swimming to try to make them leave, but most of the time it took me climbing onto the boat for them to fly away.

I think pelicans are very cool birds. Big and beautiful! And as big of an animal lover as I am in general, I could never harm them of course. But let me tell you, when you climb onto a boat at 7 in the morning and you have to do all kinds of acrobatic moves to make sure that you make it onto the boat without being covered in bird poop, it makes you question your love for these animals. Pelican poop is beyond nasty! It’s like a conspiracy, after putting the boat up they all come over and just park it on the boat and use it as one big toilet until you get back on the boat the next morning. We used to try all kinds of different tricks to keep them off, but nothing really worked. These birds are so stubborn and could care less.

Over here in Jupiter the pelicans love to hang out on Kyalami’s bow. And even tough they also like to use the boat as one big restroom, watching them hang out with us like that is something that I always enjoy. I normally grab my phone and snap a picture since they look so cool. I would have to call it a love/hate relationship. Can’t stand the mess they make, but love taking their picture and watching them getting free treats when the fishermen are cleaning their fish. As soon as someone shows up with a bucket full of fish, at least 30 pelicans will show up immediately ready to jump at the fish pieces that are getting tossed towards them into the water. It’s a fun show!

Now if they could only stop pooping all over the place….

-Anne