People were feeding a sea lion from a pier when it suddenly yanked a young girl into the water.  A man quickly jumped in to rescue her.

What a nightmare situation!  I remember when I was a young child, my parents and I were camping.  Earlier in the day, we had seen alligators in the water swimming around.  We decided later in the day to go fishing off the boat dock on the river.  There was a part of the dock that was off to the side and it was declined into the water.  Over the years it had grown a green slimy fungus on it and I was writing in it with my shoe.  The next thing I know I am under water.  In that split second all I can think about are the gators we saw earlier coming to get me.  When I surfaced my Dad was already there pulling me out.  So I know, first hand, the fear that this family felt.

A marine mammal expert said the sea lion might have thought the girl's dress was food.

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