MAKING SHADE WHERE THERE IS NONE!

It's Mono Monday and the theme is Minimalist.
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This is a Northern Elephant Seal cow (Mirounga augustirostris) who has hauled herself out of the cold California water to catch a few rays on the beach.  With all that blubber insulating them from the cold water at great depths, the sun can get pretty warm. To keep from overheating they use their broad flippers to cover themselves with sand to mitigate some of that heat.....rather like lying in the shade.
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Once a year, they shed their outer hair and skin and regrow it. This can take a month or so and they are land bound for that time and do not eat at all. This may be what's going on here.
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At some time in the past they were hunted almost to extinction but have since recovered.
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They are true seals (not sea lions) and belong to the Family Phocidae and are characterized by having no external ears and reduced limbs. The later makes it more streamlined for efficient movement in water.
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They dive to great depths in search of mollusks, skates, rays, squid, octopus, eels small sharks and some fish. They can dive to a mile deep and can hold their breath for 100 minutes or more.
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Best viewed in Large.