Yesterday was seal day, morning and night. Fruitless for fisherfolk and Old Salt was gnashing his teeth but the dogs of the sea are cheeky, friendly and now, very well fed! If you look to the right of the buoy in the first picture, you can see her 'footprint' on the water. Two People Bay, 5.30 pm.
Seals friendly and well-fed mmm. When I was once a surfer, in some past life, I surfed south passage in Lancelin. Our tinnie was anchored some 150 metres away and then we saw it. With the soundtrack of Jaws still in our minds, someone hummed the tune. Shut the f*** up!! I think were the words of the other three of us - all in unison...and then that sea dog popped its head out of the water. We so glad to see it! First all we saw was disturbed water and a dark shadow moving beneath us and some movement between us and our boat. But I guess such sightings are not a joy to all fishermen.
ReplyDeleteActually, did they catch the bastards who shot those fur seals basking on the rocks near Esperance?
I don't know Tim, I didn't hear about that. I think fishermen and seals have just got to learn to get along but I doubt it will ever happen.
ReplyDeleteThe seals off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall, often turn into playful dogs, chasing the surfers to the shore and nipping at their ankles. Very large, playful dogs which can weigh up to about half a ton...
ReplyDeleteYes, running around with seals in their own territory can be a um ... territorial encounter. Have you ever smelt their breath? I'd be getting a few shots after being bitten by one.
ReplyDeleteI've never smelt a seal's breath Sarah, but if it is anything like my cat's, then I can imagine.
ReplyDeleteDo we know what kind of seal it might have been? Are all the seals that inhabit the southern coastline Australian Fur Seals or are there other species?
ReplyDeleteMainly New Zealand Fur Seals and some Sea Lions - much bigger and tawnier colours. Occasionally a stray from down south gets lost and finds its way here ...
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah! You mention seals from the south? Do we ever get leopard seals or giant Elephant seals falling in love with Albany tractors like that one did in New Zealand? :)
ReplyDeleteActually it intrigues me how the seals do not get caught in your nets? They must be really smart to steal from the nets like they do. Do you see any regulars that you have given a name?
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ReplyDeleteNever actually heard of them falling in love with tractors, Tim! A friend found a dead leopard seal on Nanarup beach. He had the skull in a bucket of rock salt out near his shed. It looked like a lion's skull, with the scariest looking teeth I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteNo, seals, like dolphins are too clever for the net. But the one in Oyster Harbour at dawn the other morning sported a huge propellor wound (I think). It was healing up but if I saw him again, I'd know him.
Michelle mentions getting to know the local dolphins who surf with her at Denmark, too.
Maybe leopard seals need such teeth to ward of unwanted attention from the whites? And the colouration of the leopard seal's skin is also intriguing. It seems motley coloured, very different to the dark colouring of the common seal. That leopard found by your friend, so far from its natural habitat would no doubt have a story to tell. I wonder what activity and happening brought it so far north?
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