Seals and Rollers at Newport

Fun times at Newport today.  The water was (relatively) warm, glassy and clear.  The waves were 2-4 foot rollers that just kept rolling on through.  Nobody was want for a wave, there was plenty for all.  Donnie and I were out there for a good 2 1/2 hours today.  Finally my stomach called for the obligatory after-surf-burrito and we got out.  The Revolver rode like a champ as always.  This was a much better sesh than my last two where I wound up broken, bloodied and bashed.

Seal sighting today.  (Not nearly as exciting as Aaron’s whale sighting.)  Still, I saw this giant clump of seaweed in the line up.  What caught my attention was that it kept moving unnaturally about.  Nothing I could put my finger on, but I could sense there was something weird going on.  I paddled over to check it out (super smart idea) and suddenly a seal’s head popped out of the water like Martin Sheen in “Apocalypse Now.”

So there I was, about 5 feet from a seal who was just staring right back at me.  Seals aren’t like dolphins, they usually don’t take kindly to close proximity with humans.  (I did check to make sure the seal wasn’t wearing a yellow bow tie.  He wasn’t.)  But, I’d clearly interrupted his seaweed play.  It was an awkward social situation, like walking in on someone who’s on the toilet.  I said, “Oh, excuse me Captain Willard,” because clearly talking to the animal would certainly defuse the situation, right? I quickly back-paddled away.  Once I’d put enough of a buffer zone between us, the seal continued doing his figure-eights around the seaweed clump.

Anyway, we gave the seal his space and fun rides were had by all.

(Click images to enlarge)