Could not believe my eyes!

[monkey]

Today we wondered over to the restaurant by the waterside in Ocean Village Marina, Southampton for a Friday drink at lunchtime. I left to return to the office and wondered if my half a lager had been spiked when I saw a small seal playing around in the Marina. It was beautiful and had the cutest face. It was only small and kept diving down and then resurfacing to have a look up at me and then off again. It is the only day this week when I have not taken my camera to work in my bag - typical! I did notify the harbour master that the seal was in the marina so that he could keep an eye on it incase of injury by propellors, although at this time of the year there is not alot of boat movement. The sun was shining and it really made my day to see such a lovely creature just a shame I had to go back to work I would have loved to stay watching all afternoon! Is it unusual to see seals right in a marina in a main town?

[aeshna5]

A nice surprise for you, but not totally unexpected. They regularly turn up on the Thames + we had a long-staying one a few years back as far upstream as Barnes in west London which I was fortunate to see on one of my WeBS surveys.

[tufftie]

you get them all along the south coast but not in any numbers.

[batwing]

Unusual or not an unexepected sighting like this can really lift your spirit. You certainly sound like it made your day.

[Feather]

Stop it you're all making me jealous we're inland and I got excited the other night when my dog spotted a mouse crossing the road. Batwing what's the name Ossie's doggy freind- I'd love to say it was before my time!

[batwing]

Originally Posted by Feather

Stop it you're all making me jealous we're inland and I got excited the other night when my dog spotted a mouse crossing the road. Batwing what's the name Ossie's doggy freind- I'd love to say it was before my time!

Do you mean my avatar? It's Ollie Beak and Fred Barker and yes, I'm very old!
I remember them from Five o'Clock Club in the sixties but I think they went back further. Remember Wally Whyton and Pussy Cat Willum? Happy days.

[Goatboy]

I had a very similar experience in Mallaig in September. The seal must have been 15 ft away from where I was stood and seemed perfectly happy just floating there looking up at me. Every now and then he dived under for a few minutes before popping up again for fresh air. I can only think he was used to scraps from the fishing boats in the harbour but he had no fear of humans.