Inspired by the annoying otter of Santa Cruz, CSUMB graduate writes a children’s book

By Mark Muckenfuss

The infamous Otter 841 has been in the news again recently. This may not be the best news for Santa Cruz surfers, but at least one of them should be happy about it.

Luke McLelan, a graduate of Cal State Monterey Bay, is a surfer, former surf instructor, and recently an author. He has written a children’s book: “Amelia Otter’s mischief in the water”, based on the escapades of the trouble-prone 841.

The otter first came to attention last year when it attacked the boards of several surfers in the Santa Cruz area. The attacks were unusual but not unprecedented. Experts speculated that the otter was defending its territory and that it may have been pregnant.

McLelan, who works as an emergency room nurse, said he wrote the book for his three children.

“It’s turned out much better than I thought it would,” McLelan said. “I had no idea it would take off like this.”

He said the idea for the book came to him one day at work.

“One of the paramedics said the otter bit a guy and the guy was trying to catch him,” McLelan said, noting that the otter had not actually bitten anyone. “I thought, what if the whole city of Santa Cruz was trying to catch the otter?”

In the book, Amelia the otter spends her early years at the Monterey Bay Aquarium before being released into the ocean. She starts hanging out with the local surfers, is adopted by them, and even gets her own board. But a cranky surf catcher objects to her presence, and a hunt to capture Amelia begins.

No spoilers here, but remember, it’s a children’s book.

McLelan said he has an affinity for otters, even as a surfer.

“I’ve met a lot of otters,” he said. “A few times I fell off my board and offered it to one, but no one ever took it.”

The response to his illustrated story has far exceeded his expectations, he said. He has donated copies to the children’s wards of local hospitals. And he hopes the book will be distributed even more widely, thanks in part to his graduate work at CSUMB.

“I definitely used my business degree for this cause,” he said. “The things I learned (at CSUMB) and my understanding of the business world were really useful.”

One of these writing courses might have helped a little too.