Author Topic: I got dropped in on  (Read 3135 times)

outcast

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I got dropped in on
« on: July 27, 2015, 07:33:17 PM »
By a seal.
Now I don't consider them  local, they commute to Coast Guard  too.

Preface...I don't think they are cute....they will look right at you and take a crap...and they eat too much fish.
But...they are comical when they try swallow a skate.  They will stare at you, and freak out if you nod your head "Yes"
Mostly I don't care what they do. 

People say don't surf with them, because they are shark food....but I say they are the lookouts, and I am only nervous when they are not in the water
Course I have a board that is "Mick Fanning Yellow"....so all bets are off

There's been a lot of playful activity with them in the last few weeks.... I think they are enjoying a few weeks rest before they become seriously hunted....they are surfing a fair bit. Surfing in groups of 10 or more

Tonite there was a background bump, with a few chest high, and Junior pulled right into my wave just 8 feet away....I was closer to the peak, and as I set for my bottom turn he and I had the staredown, and he backed out over the top....minimal mushball.....I've seen it done a hundred times with respect in the lineup...no stink eye, just a give....but I never had a seal geeve'em before.

It was weird, and fun. 
I always get something from being on the water.



« Last Edit: July 27, 2015, 07:35:04 PM by outcast »
Too many for the rack
Some in the shack
Some under decks
Some have straps

stoneaxe

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Re: I got dropped in on
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2015, 08:15:47 PM »
They always make it interesting. I have the same take as you. I was happy to have a lot of seals outside of us at the cut last week. With the dinner table so plentifully set we are less appetizing...at least in my mind. We had a few big bulls being aggressive in the bay. Swimming straight at the board and diving just a few feet in front with a splash and going directly under us.

When Brownie and I were scouting out the 1st CCBC we surfed the bar at the comber one day. Absolutely beautiful head high glass with real long rides. I had just dropped in and looked down to see a mackerel in the wave being chased by a bluefish and right behind the blue is a seal. They were right next to me for a few seconds and then the food chain train passed under my board and into the whitewater. Very cool.
Bob

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headmount

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Re: I got dropped in on
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2015, 09:20:46 PM »
In the early 90s, I was on the Indies Trader surfing in the Mentawai Islands area. The ship had a metal hull, which supposedly enabled us to safely motor from one surf spot to the next during the night in order to stay ahead of, what was at that time,  a minimal surf charter fleet. 

So we woke up one morning at this spot called Macaronis (now a quite famous spot)  It was a new spot for me and my first crack of dawn glance out my porthole was of a perfect wave.  Didn't wait for breakfast or the tin boat that usually ferried us across to the line up.  Just threw the board overboard and paddled over... to empty perfect waves.  Even though I'd developed an thick skin to being out by myself in new areas, being alone always has an intense element to it. 

But soon enough I was on a roll, forgetting all that until I had quite a jolt.  Dropping in just in front of me was a eight to ten foot white chinese dolphin.  Of course I didn't know exactly what it was at that moment.  It was just large and yellowish.  My heart pounded as I followed it until I figured it would be wise to pull out.  My pals soon joined me and all I could do was move my hands, until I spit out white dolphin.  They laughed, "Sure Bill." 

Then it dropped in on them and everyone was cracking up, giddy about surfing in the Serengeti. 

That steel hulled ship just sank recently.  It belonged to Rip Curl these days.  The whole crew and guest were packed into that tin boat until rescued.  So much for 'safe' steel hulls... unless it was an insurance deal.

PonoBill

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Re: I got dropped in on
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2015, 08:37:42 AM »
Nice stories guys.

The idea that a steel hulled boat is safer is probably what sank that boat. Humans are such idiots. We see a safety margin and we use it all up. What a great business something like Rip Curl would be to own. A useful excuse to have a surfing boat in the Mentawais and take your buddies to the best spots. I'd leave all those entitled little grom snots at home though. I saw the video of the Volcom house. Nasty little bastards. Maybe I wouldn't be the best business owner for a company like that. Old farts don't buy lifestyle.
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southwesterly

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Re: I got dropped in on
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2015, 04:25:36 PM »

 Old farts don't buy lifestyle.



So true Mr. PB. We've earned our lifestyle... one basal cell at a time.

surfinJ

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Re: I got dropped in on
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2015, 04:56:49 PM »
I was prone surfing the cove in palos verdes some years back when I had a strange encounter with a seal.

I road a wave way to the inside and at the end fell off in the foam. I came up a little away from my board facing a seal two to three feet in front of me. His large head and big dog like tooth filled mouth impressed me. 

The speed with which he sunk back under water and disappeared freaked me and I leapt back up onto my board.  The board got flipped over from underneath, and in full panic, I climbed back onto it fin side up and fast shallow stroked away, back out to the peak.

The locals laughed at my story and said not to worry. Sometimes if you came too close to a fish he was after he would give a little warning snap like a dog can do to warn you away.

On National Geographic their cute, next to you in the water they are a 250 pound predator. Takes some getting used to I guess.

PonoBill

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Re: I got dropped in on
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2015, 05:14:34 PM »

I've had sea lions mug me for my stringer when spearfishing in puget sound. Bullies. They get right up into your mask and stare at you, then go for the stringer and start tugging. If you jag them they freak out, put on a little antler-dance show, and then zoom away.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

supthecreek

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Re: I got dropped in on
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2015, 11:11:30 AM »
Nice moment Outcast... pretty cool stuff.

Dawn patrol yesterday was at dead low and "Seal Island" was in it's glory.

I paddled over for a solo surf session on the sweet left that wraps the island.

Seals were all around me.... one tiny baby was floating down, like an icicle, with just his nostrils above water. Eyes closed. Basking in the sun..... exactly the way Mr White likes them. Appetizer size and clueless.
He drifted to about 2' from my board before the board movement woke him up and he freaked ;D

That was at 8:20 AM

At 7:20 PM..... there were many reports of Mr White taking a seal right there.
It is rumored that Cyclops was surfing there and saw it.
Mr White simply swallowed the little bugger whole.

Anyway.... the water was crystal clear and I could see them swimming around and under me.
The males (bulls) are in the 600 to 800 lb range.... they move fast.... and have thick torpedo shapes. :)

They do appear to be surfing..... they were all lined up right at the peak, and looked annoyed when I paddled into them..... but really, they are just super curious and seem to like surfers.

Here are some shots I took before the session

 


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