"Vicious Seal Attack" at Isle of Shoals - caught on tape!

[walke121]

More reasons we should club baby seals. Everyone that thinks they are so sweet has never been up close and personal with them. They are nasty creatures.

Yes I'm serious. Canada hunts them like deer and we try and protect a 6 million population of seals in the Gulf of Maine. They are very over-populated. People always claim that overfishing is killing the groundfish stocks on George's Bank but do you have any idea how many juvenile cod, haddock, and pollock a population of 6,000,000 seals eat a year... they eat anywhere from 6%-8% their body weight per day so about 400,000,000lbs a year is a rough estimate. In comparison roughly 14 million pounds of haddock was harvested by the entire fishing fleet last year, 19.1 million pounds of cod. Have you ever really been up close with a seal???

 

[dave4868]

Yes I'm serious. Canada hunts them like deer and we try and protect a 6 million population of seals in the Gulf of Maine. They are very over-populated. People always claim that overfishing is killing the groundfish stocks on George's Bank but do you have any idea how many juvenile cod, haddock, and pollock a population of 6,000,000 seals eat a year... they eat anywhere from 6%-8% their body weight per day so about 400,000,000lbs a year is a rough estimate. In comparison roughly 14 million pounds of haddock was harvested by the entire fishing fleet last year, 19.1 million pounds of cod. Have you ever really been up close with a seal???

I've been up close with seals a few times, arm's length or less.

"Nasty" isn't a word I'd use to describe such a perceptive, intelligent animal that carefully nurtures its young and often cavorts playfully and inquisitively with individuals of other species....

Check out my profile seal pics....

Natural animal behaviors aren't always pretty or cute, or helpful to humans, but, for me, they often spark a feeling of kinship, fascination and respect.

Dave C

 

[wardric]

yeah, Nasty is not appropriate. Evil is better. They are creatures from Hell!!!! especially the white fluffy ones.

Beware!!!

 

[wardric]

 

[ScubaGypsy]

I've been out to dive with the seals at the Isle of Shoals three times with Captain Bill on the Sushi Seeker (Northeast Charters) and had a ball each time. On my second visit in July 2007, a mother seal and her pup were following me and very curious. The mother swept in a couple of times to ensure that it was safe (?) and then stayed at a distance while the pup came in very close. The pup played with my fins similar to the one in the video and came up to my face fairly close to look into my mask without contact. After 45 minutes or so, I swam back to the boat and the pup followed me back. The attached pictures are of the mother swimming around me while the second one is of the pup coming to the surface next to the boat as I was reboarding. A very cool experience indeed!

 

[Jax]

ScubaGypsy, you meanie! You took his toy (you) away!

There are seals in San Carlos, out at the Island. The cows and pups are playful; the bulls are watchful. Four were diving, with my husband in the lead, me second. I watched the cows and pups come around -- if you blow bubbles, they blow back. We were mimic-ing their moves. Then here comes the bull . . . he swims around the guy in the back, with a in-your-face, "are you a danger?" look . . . then the next gal, then it's my turn. I tried a full body swirl, but the bull was not interested. Suddenly I realize - my husband has no idea. He hasn't looked up or back . . . The bull heads down, and spins right under him . . .

Y'ever see a grown man try to swallow his second stage?

I damn near swallowed mine, I was laughing so hard. The cows & pups stayed to play; the bull returned to his perch in the sun.

 

[gypsyjim]

Only encounter I ever had uw with a seal was long ago in Monterrey Bay, but over 20 years later I still remember it, it left such a strong impression!

A shadow came in from my right so fast I had no time to react, a part of my mind was screaming "shark!". Suddenly a seal "kissed" my mask, spun on his tail, and was gone just as fast as he/she came!

WOW!!!! My mind was doing somersaults it was such a rush, but my poor heart was still stuck on "shark!"

I realized that day in a way I never had before, just how poorly we really are adapted for their element, compared with the hunters in the sea around us. Glad he was playing with me and not being aggressive!

 

[gypsyjim]

ScubaGypsy, you meanie! You took his toy (you) away!

There are seals in San Carlos, out at the Island. The cows and pups are playful; the bulls are watchful. Four were diving, with my husband in the lead, me second. I watched the cows and pups come around -- if you blow bubbles, they blow back. We were mimic-ing their moves. Then here comes the bull . . . he swims around the guy in the back, with a in-your-face, "are you a danger?" look . . . then the next gal, then it's my turn. I tried a full body swirl, but the bull was not interested. Suddenly I realize - my husband has no idea. He hasn't looked up or back . . . The bull heads down, and spins right under him . . .

Y'ever see a grown man try to swallow his second stage?

I damn near swallowed mine, I was laughing so hard. The cows & pups stayed to play; the bull returned to his perch in the sun.

That sort of reminds me of an interaction I had with the wild ponies on Chincoteague Island, VA.

A mare and her colt wandered into the camping area, and the colt was really friendly and inquisitive, walking right into a group of kids and teens. Nuzzling, and letting my kids pet her, while the mare stood off a bit, warily watching the activities.

I was also standing back a bit, watching and filming. Suddenly the mares swung toward me, and took a nasty nip. She went for me, as a safer target, instead of going into the crowd, but it had the effect she wanted in that her colt dashed to her side.

I said
"hey, I wasn't doing anything! Why'd you bite me!?". She just swished her tail and trotted off.

Interaction between wild animals and humans is always touchy, and prone to misinterpretation and misunderstanding!

 

[theduckguru]

I have to wonder how memorable the experiance would have been if the seal took a chuck out of the divers calf? Watching them is one thing, letting them chew on your gear is stupid.

 

[Rick L]

I have had 3 seals do that to my fins(jetfins)
All at duck island!
Was realy cool!
Had a huge white seal swim right next to me.
If I tried to put my hand out it would swim away?
Rick