# Seals



## PoddyMullet (Aug 29, 2005)

I managed an uneventful snapper hunt this morning out to one of Kevin's haunts. Uneventful except for the return paddle when I came across a coupla seals floating about upside down with flippers up in the air. I wasn't sure if they were snoozing or having a root, but either way they got a surprise when they finally realised I was taking pics of em.... :shock:


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## PoddyMullet (Aug 29, 2005)

Feel free to add what ya think was on this fella's mind....for mine I think he said

"Look at me, I'm Occy in a Hobie" :wink:


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## Magicrik (Jul 12, 2006)

Maybe he was taking the weight off his feet :lol:


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## hairymick (Oct 18, 2005)

Love it poddy. Great pics mate. I now have a new screan saver, Thank you. 

i have never seen a wild seal.


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## beefs (Jan 30, 2006)

great pics Poddy - the caption on the second photo made me bloody laugh! (Sorry Occy :wink: )



hairymick said:


> Love it poddy. Great pics mate. I now have a new screan saver, Thank you.
> 
> i have never seen a wild seal.


Seals are pretty amazing creatures - I was lucky enough last year to spend about 8 nights cruising the Galapagos Islands where its impossible not to swim with a seal, let alone see one Hairy! My personal fave experience was when the rest of the boat went to town and I stayed out on the boat anchored in the marina - jumped off the back for a swim and had a baby seal swim over and swim/play with me for a good half an hour before it got bored of my inability to swim fast and hold my breath.

Another time there was a group of 5-6 adult seals that were playing with a stick, every time they dropped it I would pick it off and swim off with it fast, dropping it when they got close. They'd then pick it and let me chase them till they dropped the stick again. Repeat process.

(one more  ) Another time there was a seal when I was snorkelling and I watched it chase a marine iguana - it would let the iguana swim to the rocks and crawl halfway out before grabbing its tail with its mouth and pulling it back into the water.

Amazing place the Galapagos, all I wanted to do in the whole trip was swim with a seal, see an iguana swimming and swim with penguins...did it all the first day out!

(Sorry Poddy for the thread hijack! )


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## PeterJ (Aug 29, 2005)

Niiice, they were just waving to ya cos they et all da fish.


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## Milt (Sep 2, 2005)

Seals are ok, providing they don't have a plump pinky snapper in there mouths that you have pulled up from the 50m line GRRRRRR :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: still not over it.

Milt,


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## simond11 (Aug 29, 2005)

Seal 1 "Hey Hank, stay like this and you won't look like one of em decoys on the TV"
Seal 2 "Hey...that's a good idea"

Cheers
Simon
Prowler 15


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

That would be warming the blood in their flippers with a little free solar.



> Seals are ok, providing they don't have a plump pinky snapper in there mouths that you have pulled up from the 50m line GRRRRRR still not over it.


Seals and sealions get very little respect here. In Newport Harbor, the huge males have hauled out on moored boats and swamped them. They're so damn smart, they key in on motors, generators, and yakkers and make nuisences of themselves. They will follow your yak and eat your hard-made bait (mackerel) one after another. Then, there's the catch depredation --either from the end of the line or from the game-clip. If from the game clip that becomes a serious danger issue as the "dog" snatches a fish that is directly connected to the yak.

We have just been given some guidelines on deterrents by a Gov agency. 
http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/deter/index.htm
Included as a deterrent is a slingshot and paintball. No breaking of flesh or rupturing of eyes, but a 00 shot to the knothead may make him think twice.

Z


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## Kevin (Aug 29, 2005)

Poddy,

Steve and myself saw a seal in a similar pose last time out in Westernport. Although there was only one of them at that time I guess it still could have been having sex. Could also explain the interest it showed in Steve when he pulled up along side in his grey (seal coloured) Hobie.

Nice clear photos. I'll need your photographic skills soon when I pull up that 7 kg + snapper.


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## PoddyMullet (Aug 29, 2005)

I had a bit of a Google and it seems seals are able to sleep at sea because only half of their brain nods off at once, allowing a little flipper correction to avoid drowning. About 20 mins later it switches over to the other half and the corresponding flippers get a rest. I couldn't find anything about mating at sea, and science is apparently yet to answer the question whether Mr Seal asks Mrs Seal either A) Do you want to get your rocks off?, or B) Do you want to get off your rocks?.

Scotty, the TV doco's I've seen of the Galapagos provide amazing footage. Your certainly lucky to have been.

Kevin, that snap's is waiting for ya out there....

Hairy, glad ya liked the pics


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## hairymick (Oct 18, 2005)

Heya Zed,

From what I understand, our seals may not be as numerous as your mob.
They were hunted allmost to extinction at one time but are starting to make a comeback.

While our blokes might moan about losing to odd fish to em I am not sure they have posed any real danger or nuisance here yet.

Blokes like me who live in the northern part of our country never see them. I would just love the opportunity to paddle and or swim with them.


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

Mick

California sea lions have made a remarkable recovery from their brush with extinction. I belive that the population is now back over 200,000. I am glad that the population has recovered but they really have become a nuisance. They are very intelligent and because they are protected, have no fear of humans. Fishing with live bait can be very challenging when the sea lions are about. It can be awfully frustrating at times. Some of the local yak fishos are happy to hear reports of great whites spotted in the area. They think it will cut down the competition a little :roll: Even if they are annoying, I still enjoy seeing the sea lions while I'm paddling.


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