Sealions look like german shepards to me...but those cute harbor seals look like springer spanials...they all are curious of divers in the water but the harbor seals have been just wierd lately..I got to get my camera in the water!
Last Friday we had a advanced class doing a pre night dive at Breakwater. We entered at the west end, took a compass reading and were to navigate east to the breakwater wall then exit at the west beach. I was shadowing a dive team that was having problems staying near the bottom and eventually i lost site of them. I was kneeling on the bottom checking my compass barring when I caught movement at my left shoulder. I looked and there was a small harbor seal trying to look at my compass. He got closer and closer to it. Finally i held it out so he could get a good look. He bumped it a couple times with his nose then began to rub my hand with his nose. This made me a little nervous because of the teeth issue. After a couple minutes of being "petted" by the seal I began to navigate west. My new friend stayed right by my side the whole dive, which lasted about 35 minutes. He even followed me into the beach and only left after i exited the water. He then went out to find another diver.
Today Dave went out with the class for a boat dive. He said he was with two divers when he felt something bump his head. When he looked there was a harbor seal staring into his face mask. The seal continued to stare into his face and was very curious about his regulator. Finally the seal put his flippers on Daves shoulders in a hug and placed his nose right on his face mask. Then he shifted and laid across his shoulder. Next he went to one of the other divers and "hugged" him..Dave said he continued "touching" them then rolled over next to dave's hand and touched it with his belly. Dave finally scratched his belly. The seal Raised his flippers to get better scratching. The three divers gave him a good scratching before moving off to continue their dive. The seal stayed with them the whole dive and even remained with the group for their 3 minute safety stop.
I was thinking this might be just one seal but another harbor seal was touching and rubbing another group of divers at the same time. So whats up with these seals? We enjoy having them approach and look at us but this rubbing and touching is a little intimidating..
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Last Friday we had a advanced class doing a pre night dive at Breakwater. We entered at the west end, took a compass reading and were to navigate east to the breakwater wall then exit at the west beach. I was shadowing a dive team that was having problems staying near the bottom and eventually i lost site of them. I was kneeling on the bottom checking my compass barring when I caught movement at my left shoulder. I looked and there was a small harbor seal trying to look at my compass. He got closer and closer to it. Finally i held it out so he could get a good look. He bumped it a couple times with his nose then began to rub my hand with his nose. This made me a little nervous because of the teeth issue. After a couple minutes of being "petted" by the seal I began to navigate west. My new friend stayed right by my side the whole dive, which lasted about 35 minutes. He even followed me into the beach and only left after i exited the water. He then went out to find another diver.
Today Dave went out with the class for a boat dive. He said he was with two divers when he felt something bump his head. When he looked there was a harbor seal staring into his face mask. The seal continued to stare into his face and was very curious about his regulator. Finally the seal put his flippers on Daves shoulders in a hug and placed his nose right on his face mask. Then he shifted and laid across his shoulder. Next he went to one of the other divers and "hugged" him..Dave said he continued "touching" them then rolled over next to dave's hand and touched it with his belly. Dave finally scratched his belly. The seal Raised his flippers to get better scratching. The three divers gave him a good scratching before moving off to continue their dive. The seal stayed with them the whole dive and even remained with the group for their 3 minute safety stop.
I was thinking this might be just one seal but another harbor seal was touching and rubbing another group of divers at the same time. So whats up with these seals? We enjoy having them approach and look at us but this rubbing and touching is a little intimidating..
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