It looks like he was the vanguard of a mass exodus!
From kgw.com:
Just what we need - more transplants from California **sigh**. What's the allure? No sales tax? Indian casinos? Nope. It's the anchovies. They're highly plentiful off Oregon in this El Nino year when sea lions' normal staple, the S.F. herring population has taken a nose dive. Now if they'd just invest in some retirement properties and stick around for awhile the economic picture of Florence may get a little brighter. If they bring in more tourists, that's a huge plus too.
If you'd like to save yourself a trip to expensive San Francisco and see these famous residents in their new "winter" home, I can't recommend the Florence/ Yachats area enough. However when we went to the Sea Lion Caves it was more than a little on the expensive side ($30 admission for a family of 3...)and not really worth the money. You couldn't get close to the animals and didn't really want to because of the deafening noise and pervasive stink. The KGW article says they're all hanging out at Heceta Head anyway, so I'd recommend saving your money and just going to Heceta Beach State Park, just north of the Sea Lion Caves. The old Heceta Head Lighthouse Keeper's cottage is now a lovely Bed and Breakfast if you'd prefer to take your time. Other nice places to stay in the area are Driftwood Shores, near where we spotted our herald on the rocks at the Siuslaw River North Jetty; Ambrosia Gardens B&B; Seaquest Inn B&B; Overleaf Lodge; and the Edwin K B&B.
***Update Jan 14, 2009 - Apparently, there are a large number turning up south of Florence in the Coos Bay/ Charleston Marina area. Below, from OregonsAdventureCoast.com - an interview with one of the missing sea lions themselves:
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