Wind storm aftermath brings wave of seal pups
Oct/16/16 08:51 AM
On Friday afternoon, a serious wind storm whipped and churned Puget Sound waters into a frenzy. Waves crashed over the sea walls along Beach Drive, leaving debris in its wake. Thankfully, harbor seals can actually sleep in the water when need be and will often ride out storms by bottom resting, rising to the surface every 25 minutes or so for a breath of air and returning to the sea bottom. This, instead of hauling out on shore and being battered by wind, rain and surf.
Often, following a storm of this nature, we see an increase in seal pups seeking rest on the beach, warming up out of the cold waters. Late Friday night, as the winds calmed down, a small pup slept in the dark at Alki Beach, but was gone when our first responder checked about 5:40am.
Saturday, before the much-anticipated remnants of a Pacific typhoon was expected to power thru our region mid-late afternoon, there was a brief lull in the winds. True to form, the day was busy for seal responses.
Around 11am, the hotline called to report a seal pup near the West Seattle water taxi landing. Our responder arrived within minutes to find a pup sleeping soundly in a soft rain on the pebbled beach. She quickly closed off access to the small cove with yellow tape and informational signage.
A call was placed to Volunteer Scheduler, Arden, who checked the online calendar and began making calls to those who had entered time for the day. New volunteers Cathy (who admirably also volunteers at PAWS), 5 1/2 year old Mia and her mom Erin (shown at left) donned rain gear and enthusiastically arrived for duty at the cove.
Volunteers chatted among themselves and with a surprising number of passersby, despite increasing rain and winds as the day went on. The pup, nicknamed Sea Glass, was able to sleep peacefully except for a brief, but persistent harassment by a juvenile sea gull. The feisty pup defended his territory and the gull finally moved on.
We also received a report mid-day that a seal pup was resting near the Fauntleroy ferry dock, but our first responder who was on the scene within 15 minutes found none.
Eventually, Sea Glass flop-hopped across the glistening pebbles and into the cozy nook of a large tree trunk on the beach (photo above). Sheltered from the increasing wind gusts and rain, he slept comfortably until dark. Around 6:20 the wind and rain hit with a vengeance and volunteers sought cover. Sea Glass returned to the Sound around 8:30 and the signage and tape was removed from the cove entrance.
Saturday, before the much-anticipated remnants of a Pacific typhoon was expected to power thru our region mid-late afternoon, there was a brief lull in the winds. True to form, the day was busy for seal responses.
Around 11am, the hotline called to report a seal pup near the West Seattle water taxi landing. Our responder arrived within minutes to find a pup sleeping soundly in a soft rain on the pebbled beach. She quickly closed off access to the small cove with yellow tape and informational signage.
Volunteers chatted among themselves and with a surprising number of passersby, despite increasing rain and winds as the day went on. The pup, nicknamed Sea Glass, was able to sleep peacefully except for a brief, but persistent harassment by a juvenile sea gull. The feisty pup defended his territory and the gull finally moved on.
We also received a report mid-day that a seal pup was resting near the Fauntleroy ferry dock, but our first responder who was on the scene within 15 minutes found none.
Eventually, Sea Glass flop-hopped across the glistening pebbles and into the cozy nook of a large tree trunk on the beach (photo above). Sheltered from the increasing wind gusts and rain, he slept comfortably until dark. Around 6:20 the wind and rain hit with a vengeance and volunteers sought cover. Sea Glass returned to the Sound around 8:30 and the signage and tape was removed from the cove entrance.
