Strange seal behaviour.

DanTribe

DanTribe

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We were motoring out of a narrow creek yesterday, when a seal pup swum determinedly out from the bank to intercept us.
At first I thought "how cute" and put the engine into neutral, while he swam round the boat, calling and nuzzling the waterline.
Not wanting to engage gear we blew aground and switched the engine off. Eventually Mum appeared and tried to shepherd him away but he kept escaping and coming back. This was very determined and agitated behaviour, not casual inquisitiveness.
We then saw that it wasn't "cute" but potentially tragic if he wouldn't leave us and Mum abandoned him.
When he got near our bows I started the engine and went hard astern, hoping to lose him but he kept following and we had to go fast to get away. Eventually we passed close to an anchored boat and he transferred his affection to that.
I've never experienced this behaviour in seals before, has anyone?
 
Ianqv said:
It was a case of....... "drink up Trig", we're leaving!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

or her saying - Get yer coat, you've pulled.



Back to OP.
Nature is strange, and this sounds like some natural deselection going on. Same as a whale going up the Thames for no real reason.
Probably a bit distressing for you guys though.
 
DanTribe said:
We were motoring out of a narrow creek yesterday, when a seal pup swum determinedly out from the bank to intercept us.
At first I thought "how cute" and put the engine into neutral, while he swam round the boat, calling and nuzzling the waterline.
Not wanting to engage gear we blew aground and switched the engine off. Eventually Mum appeared and tried to shepherd him away but he kept escaping and coming back. This was very determined and agitated behaviour, not casual inquisitiveness.
We then saw that it wasn't "cute" but potentially tragic if he wouldn't leave us and Mum abandoned him.
When he got near our bows I started the engine and went hard astern, hoping to lose him but he kept following and we had to go fast to get away. Eventually we passed close to an anchored boat and he transferred his affection to that.
I've never experienced this behaviour in seals before, has anyone?
Click to expand...

Glad to see you got some serious responses to your reasonable question:rolleyes:

Fred Drift or what:confused:
 
Thanks. Fred Drift is normal for the forums, it's what we do, a bit like bar conversations, seldom stay on the original topic for long.:)
An extreme case is the thread RIP Nina on Scuttlebutt.
That started as a tribute to a probable tragic loss but has turned into a series of opinions about yacht construction.
 
But Wot 'Bout Those Seal Pups?

DanTribe said:
Thanks. Fred Drift is normal for the forums, it's what we do, a bit like bar conversations, seldom stay on the original topic for long.:)
An extreme case is the thread RIP Nina on Scuttlebutt.
That started as a tribute to a probable tragic loss but has turned into a series of opinions about yacht construction.
Click to expand...

Understood but would be interesting to find out why seal pups act as they do:confused:
 
We met the same seal pup, probably.

We were anchored in a narrow creek on Thursday night, and were woken on Friday morning by some loud calls that we couldn't identify. Then we realised that they came from a seal pup, maybe 2ft or 2ftf 6in length, who was snuggling up to the boat. He seemed to be nuzzling the weed on the waterline, and was wrapping himself round the anchor chain. After a while he would drift away, appearing as if he was asleep, then revive and swim vigorously back. There were other seals around, and one in particular seemed to be keeping an eye on him. When we came to leave, we motored off very carefully, and he followed. We speeded up and he swam very fast after us, with his huge eyes appealing to us not to desert him. As we came out of the creek, he transferred his attention to an anchored catamaran.
 
Er, WHICH narrow creek???? There's quite a lot of them you know! Where you all in the same narrow creek (with or without a paddle)? Or is this seal pub moving from one narrow creek to another narrow creek to cause confusion? Or is this behaviour becoming the social norm amongst young East Coast seals - are they secretly communicating behind their parents backs and arranging to be adopted by nice yachties? The curiosity is almost more than I can bear! :D
 
Perhaps he thought your boat was fat, ugly and wallows horribly - and mistook it for his Dad! er...sorry ;)

I'll get my coat!
 
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