Pacific Giant Salamander, Dicamptodon tenebrosus

I was walking along the creek next to our house looking for wildflowers to photograph and came across this 13" long salamander:
I only see one about once every 5 years and don't know if it is due to their coloring being so similar to the rocks or that they are rare. After I took the first picture he walked/swam through shallow water and I took a second picture:

The salamander was using his front legs to walk on the bottom and his hind legs as flippers to paddle through the water.