Diving with seals

[audission]

(The furry kind, not the American SBS kind.)

I did seal swimming in New Zealand, love the little fellas.

Where are the best places to dive with seals around the UK? Do you get them around the Scilly Isles, planning a trip there.

(Or I could just drive to Lancashire I suppose:

BBC: Seal found wandering 4 miles inland)

 

[flw]

Farne islands off Northumberland are good for seals. Some of the charters there do seal trips I think
I live in Shetland and they are a positive pest at this time of year - last years pups are very playful - Sunday I was trying to do some training when they decided we were more fun than each other - had one tugging on each fin, and eventually we had to give up doing rescues. If you go to the more isolated beaches they are pupping at this time of year, and whilst very cute and furry you do need to be careful and not go too close as mum may abandon them - or bite you.
Orkney/Scapa flow is much the same as here.

 

[CJ Bill]

Skomer and Skokholm islands off Pembrokshire (SW Wales, out of Milford Haven) are good for seals as well, although never having dived the Farne Islands I couldn't compare them. Might be a little easier to get to from London though!

 

[rubbachicken]

i don't know if it's possible to dive there, but there are more than a few in north norfolk
around blakeney
i've seen them there

 

[String]

Skomer and Skokholm islands off Pembrokshire (SW Wales, out of Milford Haven) are good for seals as well, although never having dived the Farne Islands I couldn't compare them. Might be a little easier to get to from London though!

Skomer and Skokholm you can reliably see them in the water but visibility depending not always under water. The "Smalls" 25nm offshore from there ive not had a dive yet where i havent seen/been played with by seals underwater.

Ive also heard the Scilly isles and Farnes are good for seals.

 

[pwwm]

Scapa flow, loads of the little beggars, also some excellent diving as well.

 

[audission]

Sorry for resurrecting my own 4-year old thread... but I've finally dived with seals in the UK... in the Farnes Islands. And it was great!

Write-up and vid are here:

Diving the Farnes Islands | Diving Reviews | DIVE LAB

World class IMO (if challenging conditions)