The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Rain, sun, wind...insects, birds, flowers...meteorites, rocks...seasonal changes...all are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
June 14, 2014
Barlow Bay
Salish Sea
It's been many months since I've been out in my kayak. On my first day out, the Harbor Seal who lives in this bay welcomed me, with a sort-of interspecies "hug".
I know this particular seal. I took a few pictures to compare her features to photos I have of previous encounters...she's the same one, based on permanent fur color patterns.
A few pics of our greeting...
(All photos by me. In Lightbox...click to enlarge)
Harbor Seals are very intelligent by all accounts, which means they are also very curious creatures. I've found that to be true in my interactions both from the beach and out on the water. Interpreting their thoughts from facial expressions is difficult if not impossible, inevitably subject to anthropomorphizing. I try to get a sense of their interests and intentions by their behavior. Here's what I saw.
We brought our sailboat back down to Barlow Bay after months of electrical repairs, necessary after sinking back in December (or as Mr O puts it "not floating when the tide came back in."). Arriving in the bay in late evening, I snapped a pic of this seal watching us anchor. It was getting dark so we skiffed back to shore as quick as we could. Flat calm this day.
The next day Mr O wanted to check out how the boat was doing (he's generally pleased with the results of his repairs, but there are still a few gremlins to track down). So we set out in the kayaks, he to the boat, me to meander. It was a windy day, up to 15 knots where the bay is less sheltered, and I drifted offshore pretty quickly. Ms. Seal caught up with me in the middle of the bay.
Usually she likes to sneak up behind me, so I hear her more than see her. She did that this time too, but as often surfaced alongside, looking at me intently. I talked to her in wee-folk language. She also hovered underneath the kayak, evidently examining the bottom. I wonder whether she might remember my scratched up, cheap fiberglass, flat-bottomed purple kayak? Most of the time, she'd zoom up to me, all fluid and graceful and swift, then roll over and rub along the bottom. I could clearly hear - and feel - the scratching below my butt. While I had the camera out, I snapped some pics of a few passes. See her lovely patterned coat! I was tempted to reach down and give her scratchies. Maybe I will next time.
There's some deconstruction going on at a dock in the bay right now. Nobody working that day so I paddled over to check out the progress and the two barges anchored by it. The seal did not accompany me. When I paddled back out to the middle of the bay, she rejoined me. I can't help but wonder what she makes of the noisy stinky behemoths in her bay.
The wind picked up, so I had to start paddling in earnest to avoid getting swept out to sea. Ms. Seal went the other way. I'll be back out kayaking again. We'll meet again I expect.
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Update 6/19:
I did see her again today. She played around a bit, and when Mr O finished his boat work and got into his kayak, she followed him back to shore. Pics from this afternoon.
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