Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Baby Seals Are alive and well at Paddle and Pedal Adventures




A couple weeks ago Richard Sturgill from the Plover Ferry told us that the seals were beginning to have their babies and that we needed to tell our clients what the proper etiquette was regarding the seals.




The seals give birth on the dock or breakwater and within 12 hours the pups go into the water. They are not able to get back on the breakwater for 2-3 weeks and must stay in the water until their muscles have developed to afford them access to the dock. They hang out on the floats which connect the pontoons or on the chains that anchor the pontoons to the bottom of the bay.




Our clients have come back from a paddle with wonderful stories of the seals and their babies.



One family on July 4th actually witnessed a mama seal giving birth! They were able to stay still and watch from about 30 feet away during the entire process! It began with the female seal barking and groaning, then grunting and out came the baby. She was very affectionate with the pup and immediately began cleaning it and guiding it to nurse. The couple didn’t realize they were holding their breath until it was over and they gave mom and baby a round of applause!




Another client saw a mom nursing its pup while patting it on the bottom with her tail flippers!
There are so few things we can experience with wild life in the wild, but the seals are there for all to see.



Needless to say I had to see for myself so last week I invited a couple of friends with me and took my camera with the hopes of catching a miracle for myself. I didn’t get to witness a birth but many mamas’s shared their young with me.




The babies who were in the water with their parents rode about on their backs with their heads resting on the parents head. The seals were very calm and seemed to want to show off their young with us.




I invite you all to come down and rent a kayak for an hour to experience this miracle for yourself. It’s one of those things that leave us all in wonder.

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