While sailing off Newport Beach, California, James Gilkinson and his niece got the surprise of a lifetime when a sea lion cub jumped onto their boat.

The young mammal seemed tired but also became quite affectionate, rubbing against the captain and angling for pats on the head for an hour or more. When they neared the port the man just stood up and said, ‘It's time," and into the water it flopped.

(WATCH the video below from CBS)