After a very windy night and stormy seas, the hotline received a call about 8 am yesterday morning about a seal pup resting on Alki’s sandy beach. Our responder found a very jittery pup at the high tide debris line.

Because the pup was so skittish, instead of pounding stakes into the sand, she attached tape to pieces of driftwood and laid the “Protected Marine Mammal” tape along the sand, creating a virtual barrier around the pup. Before she could finish the perimeter, a woman entered the beach with an off leash dog, headed straight for the seal. The woman quickly tried to gain control of her excited dog, but it was probably a full five minutes before she could get the animal leashed. Thankfully, the activity didn’t scare the seal pup back into the Sound.

After the pup settled down and felt safe, volunteers strengthened the barrier with sandwich boards, stakes and cones. Volunteers talked with the public who peered through a scope for a closer view of the pup, nicknamed Spencer by a child. Spencer relaxed and recharged until about 7:00 pm last evening when he returned to the Sound at high tide - a good, long rest. Thanks to volunteer scheduler JoDean and all the volunteers who kept Spencer safe!

Tags: Spencer