Close Encounters of the Seal Kind
August 11, 2017
Surf report, Princeton Jetty.


It's a rare day at the Princeton Jetty when I don't see one or two seals. Once when the water was thick with small fish, there were 30-50 seals, even sea lions, as well as several hundred birds going crazy. The law is pretty clear that you're not supposed to approach a marine mammal. But not so clear about what to do when one approaches you.

It used to be the seals were pretty curious and would often pop up as close six feet away. But these past couple weeks, I've seen them pop up just inches away from mine or another surfer's hand. This usually scares the bejeezus out of us if we're not expecting it. One surfer last week said a seal actually bit him, and the moment he saw one that day, he proclaimed, "That guy really doesn't like me," and hightailed it straight out of the water, then scrambled up the rocks and across the road. Really.

So today, I was out in the water with one other guy. There were maybe a half dozen seals around, with a few more periodically surfacing loudly in deep water about a hundred yards farther out, jittering the nerves until I could confirm they were seals and not the scarier alternative. And sure enough, one seal was brave or acclimated enough to breach that six foot bubble and pop up just inches from my hand. I've taken to keeping my hands on my board and not freely dangling in the water just because of that. So it didn't scare me too badly. But I was definitely startled.

Here's where it gets interesting. Instead of swimming off, curiosity satisfied, the seal decided it wanted to hang out. I was mostly standing in the stomach- to chest-deep water rather than sitting on my board, and I could feel the large mass swimming past my ankles. Then it started nosing directly into my ankles. Bump, bump, bump. When I tried to walk, my legs would bump harder against it's body, and it would bounce off, then come back. I was definitely a little freaked out, because it's supposed to be a wild animal, not a domesticated pet. But it wasn't biting me. I'd escape by catching a wave, it'd pop its head up and look right at me, and then when I walked back out, it'd be there again.

After maybe twenty minutes of this, it got bored and swam over to the other guy. Scared the bejeezus out of him. He was relieved to realize it wasn't a shark, but still scared enough that he said he was catching the next wave in. But he came back out, and kept surfing for another twenty minutes before he couldn't take it any more and called it quits.

So now it's just me and the seal. Instead of just nosing into my ankles now, I feel what seems like a flipper wrapping around my leg. I try sitting on top of my board, but now after poking at my feet, I eventually feel what might be teeth lightly nipping at my booties. Uh oh, that's not a good habit to encourage. And I'm thinking my surf buddy Duc would lose it if he were out here without booties, just bare feet. So I slide off my board and go back to standing. And the seal swims around my ankles again, and eventually I look down and see it holding onto my leg with both flippers.

It didn't poke me with its claws. Just sat there hugging my leg. I was a little worried that it started nibbling on my wetsuit and would puncture it. I didn't want to hit it or shake it off too forcefully and make it mad. So I just put up with it between waves. And after twenty minutes of this, it swam off.

I never tried to touch it with my hand. I may have considered it, but caution/fear was quite dominant over any temptation. And that's good, because apparently, that's clearly illegal. I hope I didn't damn it with even less fear of people.

A freaking seal was hugging my leg. What the heck?? Pretty strange experience. I'm still not sure what to make of it.






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