SAN PEDRO, Calif. - The sea lion, "Captain Hook," jumps from his cage to the water below from the buoy deck of the Coast Guard Cutter George Cobb.  

The crew of the buoy tender worked with personnel from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center to release the rehabilitated sea lion back into the wild off the coast of San Clemente Island Dec. 17. 

The sea lion was nicknamed "Captain Hook" because when he was originally rescued in October he had more than 70 hooks and lines stuck in him. A week after being released in the wild, he was picked up again Nov. 19 near the Newport Dune area with additional hooks in him. For almost a month the sea lion was treated and rehabilitated by the staff and volunteers at the center so he can be released back into the wild. Coast Guard photo by PA2 Allyson E.T. Conroy.

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