What's up with Harbor Seals?

[dannobee]

I was doing a night dive at Monastery where a big harbor seal was hunting by my light, too. The first time it did it, it scared the bejeezus out of me. The third time, it was a little amusing. By the 20th time, it was rather annoying.

I've also had a juvenile harbor seal mug me of both of my fins at North Monastery once. Pulled, then released, and in less than two seconds both of my fins were heading for the bottom, leaving me flailing about like that Lost in Space guy.

I just wanted him to stick around long enough so I could figure out what he did to get them off so fast!

 

[drbill]

Harbor seals up there seem to be a lot more playful than down here off Catalina... maybe ours have had more negative interactions with humans (such as fishermen shooting at them). I rarely have an interaction with them, and the last really good one I remember was in 1971 when one initiated a game of catch with me and my buddy using a sea cucumber!

However sea lions are notorious for nipping on fins. My video footage includes a lot of such interaction. I've assumed they were just trying to disable my swimming ability so I didn't show them up under water!

 

[ScubaSteve]

I've assumed they were just trying to disable my swimming ability so I didn't show them up under water!

Was it them that nibbled holes throughout your old wetsuit too?

 

[andrewy]

few weeks back we were swimming in triangular formation @ lobos.
Seal was running circles around us for few minutes, then he went to my buddy on my left and game started.
Seal would nibble buddy's left fin and hide on the right, my buddy would turn to see ,nothing on the left Seal would repeat it with right fin and move to the left all this time Seal would look at me, and i think smiled. it went for few minutes.
Once i pointed my light at seal so my buddy can see him, it was the end of a game, seal took off.

 

[alibi 2]

I have experianced this, especially in the channel islands and san clemente islands...I had a group of them nipping my fins and pulling on my goody bag. They were also circling me and putting their nose on my mask and looking at me..I'd lost my buddy and they were picking on me..I surface to relocate my buddy and they followed me up and started barking at me. My buddy surfaced behind them and barked at them and they scattered..they didnt bite hard, just enough to tug on my legs..

 

[Bogie]

I put a picture of the seal bitting my fin on my pictures "Bogie" in members gallery. I don't know how to paste it here, so if anyone can tell me how to post a picture I'd appreciate it.

I guess I kicked him with my right fin a second later and he swam away. He swam in front of me and looked me in the eyes. I think I hurt his feelings or he called me a dirty word in seal talk.

 

[Ben_ca]

I put a picture of the seal bitting my fin on my pictures "Bogie" in members gallery. I don't know how to paste it here, so if anyone can tell me how to post a picture I'd appreciate it.

I guess I kicked him with my right fin a second later and he swam away. He swam in front of me and looked me in the eyes. I think I hurt his feelings or he called me a dirty word in seal talk.

Done!

 

[Baconated]

I was at Pt. Lobos once just minding my own business when suddenly I felt my buddy roughly pulling on my BC right under my armpit. I thought she must be having some out of air situation so I went reaching for my octo as I looked down to see what was up and it turned out to be a juvenile harbor seal nuzzling its nose into my armpit. I was, to say the least, stunned. I looked up and saw my buddy about 10 feet away and she also looked stunned. The seal kept nuzzling for about 5 seconds then swam off. Maybe it had an itch.

Nathan

 

[zf2nt]

Last week my wife was out at Lobos and had a juvenile playing with her and her group. She finally got annoyed with its antics and turned around to face it directly. She put her hand up in the universal "stop" sign. The seal then leaned over and gave her a "high five"! I wish I had a picture of that one. Anybody can get photos of a seal nibbling on fins, but a "high five" would be a new one altogether.

Why do they do it? Why does my dog chase anything I will for him? Sometimes I think Harbor Seals and Labrador Retreivers must share a very large common gene set. They both have the same personality, only the seals seem to be a trifle bit smarter.

Bruce

 

[cmburch]

Nice harbor seal avatar!