Dances with Seals ...

[Poogweese]

I wish I had that again. Diving in Unalaska they were always around. I'd be working on getting line out of a crabber's wheel and notice a harbor seal looking over my shoulder. And we had the big stellar sea lions that were often playful and ocassionally agressive rocketing around. The females and juveniles especially. I never had any physical contact but they were a joy to watch and interact with.

Hi! When were you in Dutch? I spent a couple years on St. Paul Island also cutting line for crabbers. We did'nt have the sea lions around, but the Northern Fur Seals. They were pretty cool-never aggresive, but would check us out real close! We also enjoyed snorkeling with the rafts of pups in the fall, they would even climb/jump over you to get a better view of what you were.

Happy Holidays,

Poog

 

[donclaypool]

I wish I had that again. Diving in Unalaska they were always around. I'd be working on getting line out of a crabber's wheel and notice a harbor seal looking over my shoulder. And we had the big stellar sea lions that were often playful and ocassionally agressive rocketing around. The females and juveniles especially. I never had any physical contact but they were a joy to watch and interact with.

Hi! When were you in Dutch? I spent a couple years on St. Paul Island also cutting line for crabbers. We did'nt have the sea lions around, but the Northern Fur Seals. They were pretty cool-never aggresive, but would check us out real close! We also enjoyed snorkeling with the rafts of pups in the fall, they would even climb/jump over you to get a better view of what you were.

Happy Holidays,

Poog

Dutch from 91-98, spent this summer in Naknek. Always liked Alaska diving. That sounds cool playing with the pups. You weren't with Magone, were you? Never been out to St. Paul.
don

 

[opiniongirl]

Was that in Howe Sound? I was out there once with James Mayall from B.C. Dive Adventures, and this seal came and played with us like that. He put his flippers on either side of this one gal's head and stuck his face right up like he was trying to see inside her mask. He grabbed ahold of James's arm and tried nibbling on his fingers. And he nipped my fins a few times. After we got back on the boat, he kept popping his head up and looking at us, like he wasn't done playing yet.

Then he followed us all the way back to the boat dock and watched as we offloaded ... wistfully, if I'm any judge of seal expressions ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yes, it was - Homer...who was terribly fond of raspberry cookies.

Unfortunately, that's also the store that made me sick.

 

[Underwaterlyle]

We used to dive off a boat outside Vancouver, which had a famous seal which would always come diving.

Once he got really close, and bit my mask (I got a full view of his lovely tonsils), so I gently nudged him away.

I think he got the idea I was playing, as he became exactly as was stated earlier - a frisky pup - kept bolting towards me, grabbing my arm, not biting hard, but tugging gently, biting my fins, poking his nose everywhere.

But the more I touched him, the more excited he got, until (as I was teaching at the time) he got a little too rambunctious, and I had to call the dive..

I dunno - seems like they're pretty similar in behaviour to sealions - they're cute, so its easy to forget that they can still kick the crap out of you if they wanted to..

Are you sure that it was a seal? Sounds a little bit more like a flirting dive buddy!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Yes, it was - Homer...who was terribly fond of raspberry cookies.

Yeah ... that's the guy. It's been a couple years, I remember they'd named him, but couldn't remember the name.

Unfortunately, that's also the store that made me sick.

Sorry to hear that ... I had very good experiences with them.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Poogweese]

Dutch from 91-98, spent this summer in Naknek. Always liked Alaska diving. That sounds cool playing with the pups. You weren't with Magone, were you? Never been out to St. Paul.
don

No, not with Magone, they would come and do the hardhat/welding stuff, I just played around. I was there for 2 years teaching school. Would like to go back someday-not to cut crab line out of props, but to teach and swim with the pups (it was awesome) Also some old sailing era wrecks I never had a chance to find...

 

[opiniongirl]

Yeah ... that's the guy. It's been a couple years, I remember they'd named him, but couldn't remember the name.



Sorry to hear that ... I had very good experiences with them.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Good to hear - the charter operation (especially Shay, the captain) is fabulous!!!

It's just the part about having the air intake in the parking lot, no filter changes, and no air analysis that's scary....but I think he's under pretty strict scrutiny by WCB and PADI now...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Good to hear - the charter operation (especially Shay, the captain) is fabulous!!!

The diving was pretty nice as well ...

It's just the part about having the air intake in the parking lot, no filter changes, and no air analysis that's scary....but I think he's under pretty strict scrutiny by WCB and PADI now...

Just curious ... was this in the downtown or the north Vancouver store?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Seattlescubagirl]

There are a whole bunch of us who dive at Alki, Cove II on Tuesday nights. I think we have had seals on 90% of the dives in the past couple of years. And you are right, they do make a mess. But in all my dives with them, I haven't had any issues, other than stirred up silt. Now diving with sea lions feels a bit different-- they are just so HUGE. Fun to hear about your dive. Thanks for posting.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

There are a whole bunch of us who dive at Alki, Cove II on Tuesday nights. I think we have had seals on 90% of the dives in the past couple of years. And you are right, they do make a mess. But in all my dives with them, I haven't had any issues, other than stirred up silt. Now diving with sea lions feels a bit different-- they are just so HUGE. Fun to hear about your dive. Thanks for posting.

Got buzzed by a sea lion at Cove 2 just this afternoon. A quick encounter though ... it was a curious female, and she just buzzed by and kept going ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)