Just as First Responder Dana settled onto the couch and flipped on the tv to watch the Seattle Mariners game, Seal Sitters hotline operator Kristen called: there was a seal on the beach at Lincoln Park. So, Dana gathered her stranding gear and headed down Beach Drive toward the park, hoping to find parking at 2pm on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Lugging cones down the trail, through the crowded park , she saw way too many (illegally) off-leash dogs roaming the beach. As she got closer to the seal’s reported location by Colman Pool, she had to ask a woman to leash her dog and warn another couple walking directly towards the pup.

Thankfully, the reporting party, Stan, had stuck around after notifying the hotline and helped Dana get a perimeter up to give the young seal, born last year, a buffer zone. The park was packed with people on such a sunny day. Volunteer scheduler Karen T lined up Seal Sitters volunteers thanks to our online calendar and volunteer Barbara, who happened to be out walking, stopped to lend a hand.

Young passerby Lucas, enjoying an outing to the park with his family, was excited to help out with his younger sister Zoey. He announced to his mom that he wants to become a volunteer. Seal Sitters MMSN encourages children to join our network and learn valuable lessons about protecting wildlife and the environment. Volunteers, including John and Ralph (at left), talked to a seemingly endless wave of pedestrians and cyclists, all curious about the resting seal. First Responders Eilene (top photo) and David came late in the afternoon and stayed with Dana and other volunteers until dark.

The seal, who was nicknamed Pisces, was too thin and had prolonged coughing spells. We will keep an eye out for Pisces’ return, but hope that given her vulnerability due to health struggles, she will seek the safety of the offshore raft at the north end of Lincoln Park instead of dangerous urban beaches.

Tags: Pisces