Forte's big day on the beach

Jan/11/09 01:07 PM

On the full moon day of Saturday, January 10, 2009, a juvenile seal pup hauled out at high tide and climbed up the tall, concrete steps of the Alki boardwalk to take a nap right under a NOAA sign that asks people to stay a respectful distance away. One smart pup! All week we had fierce storms and flooding. This is the time we think and sometimes worry about the yearling pups who are encountering the first winter of their lives. And what a winter it has been - with three snow storms that have kept us all snowbound, followed by torrential windstorms and rains. No one has seen the likes of this kind of weather here - ever. And we are sure the seal pups are also having a tough time of it.

So when Lynn, a West Seattle resident, was walking her dog on Alki beach and discovered the sleeping pup, she was concerned. The pup was underweight, had blood on his snout and seemed exhausted. She called the Marine Mammal Hotline and talked with our Northwest Stranding expert, Kristin Wilkinson, at NOAA. After advising Lynn to observe and keep people and dogs away, Kristin then called Seal Sitters.

Robin, our photographer and First Responder was immediately on the scene. She surprised Lynn, who had expected she might be watching over the pup alone. But immediately Seal Sitters sprang into action with Janette dispatching and organizing volunteers, with Robin shooting photos to document the pup’s injuries, and two new Seal Sitters volunteering to help on the spot - Lynn and Sue. By the time Brenda arrived at about 9:30 am the area was taped off and Robin, Janette, Sue and Lynn were expertly handling the crowds, the curious and the concerned. And Lynn, having discovered the pup, was given the honor of naming him: Forte, which is Spanish for “strong.”

There was much to be concerned about. Was the wound on the pup’s snout life-threatening? Was the blood, while not flowing from the nostril, still a sign of internal injuries? The pup’s shoulders were plump, but his hips were jutting out, showing that he was underweight for this time of year. Seals should be plump and “blubbery” especialy in the winter, to survive the fierce waves. We counted his breathing. Respiration was calm and steady. Good sign. We observed his alertness: yes, he could raise his head to ward off lurking sea gulls ready to peck if he were dying. Forte delighted and relieved us by stretching, yawning, flapping his flippers, and showing the “banana pose” to regulate his temperature. He also scratched his nose with his fore flippers and seemed to be resting, not lethargic. By these signs, we decided to keep watching and observing in the hope that Forte was probably a healthy seal napping, not a terribly injured seal who must be taken to PAWS for treatment and rehab. Nevertheless, Kristin had alerted PAWS and was studying the photos that Robin sent by computer from Tully’s Coffee across the street from the beach.

The final decision was NOAA’s. More Seal Sitters showed up to take shifts during the very long and very cold day. Nancy manned dispatch phones. Lisa, a new volunteer from the aquarium, helped out immensely. Janette was on the beach with her cell or “seal phone” lining up volunteers for Sunday shifts, should the seal stay overnight as can sometimes happen. The West Seattle Blog ran photos of the bloody pup and neighbors wrote in expressing their concern. On the beach, passersby were very respectful of our yellow caution tape and barrier. Only twice, at night, did two people walk through the barrier to check out the pup, without heeding our pleas to stay back and let the pup rest.

On the frigidly cold night shift, Seal Sitters took to our cars and watched from a warmer vantage point out of the rain. We even enjoyed a Pegasus pizza, which steamed up the windows. Robin called it a “pinniped pizza party.” Still, Forte slept on, now more deeply than ever. We began to grow more concerned that he had not returned to sea, even though it is quite normal for a pup to be on the beach resting for over 24 hours. Janette, brave soul that she is, took the last shift late into the night and was able to witness Forte returning to the waves after midnight. Here is her wonderful note:

“Forte took a round about scoot back out to sea at an extremely low tide and finally made it into the water at about 12:30 a.m. I’m not sure if any of you have seen the last step there, but it is a doozie. It took awhile for him to navigate that, and although he returned twice to go back to his cozy wind-protected, overly public perch, he couldn’t navigate his way back up that last step. Finally, he gave up and meandered out to sea. Certainly didn’t take the most direct route, but once he entered, I watched for about another 30 minutes and saw no sign of him anyplace. Let’s wish him ‘happy fishing’ and special thanks to everyone for their efforts for little Forte.”

Seal Sitters echo Janette’s wishes for our pup Forte. Thanks to all those who volunteered, to Kristin at NOAA for her expert guidance, Dyanna Lambourn at Fish and Wildlife for her invaluable insight regarding the photos, and most of all to the Salish Sea and all her creatures who share these beloved shores with us. Keep your eyes out for Forte and any other pups on our beach. We are so fortunate to share our shores with wild animals. It’s what makes our neighborhood a little larger than just us, a little more welcoming to all. And by the way, welcome to our new Seal Sitters.

If you’d like to become a seal sitter, please visit our website at www.sealsitters.org

Tags: Forte