It's high summer in Chatham. One weekend after studying the pictures on the pages of Kids on the Cape, my five-year-old daughter said to me, "Mom, I want to go on a seal watch or a whale watch." Now, I'd been on a whale watch out of Boston Harbor many years ago, before she was born, and her request did not elicit immediate excitment. Three memories from that excursion stick with me.
1. I saw no whales.
2. I did see entire families throwing up over the side of the boat.
3. I paid money to experience this.
So, I said to my darling daughter, "How about a seal watch?"
The truth was, I'd only ever seen seals from the fish pier at Chatham Harbor and in a tank at the New England Aquarium and had always wanted to see some frolicking in their natural habitat. (Yes, I'm from over the bridge). I made reservations (which are required) with the Beachcomber, located on Crowell Road off of Route 28 in right in Chatham. Tours aboard this boat are 1 1/2 hours and can accomodate 31 people.
Outfitted in life preservers, we and 8 other silly-looking tourists boarded a trolley bus for the short trip over to Stage Harbor. There, we boarded a yellow motor boat captained by a pleasant and knowledgeable young man who relayed to us a constant stream of local's tips and encyclopedic facts about Morris Island, Pleasant Bay, Lighthouse Beach, gillnetters, clamming, Monomoy, and oh, yes, seals.
After about a twenty-minute ride, he cut the motor, and we watched and waited.
We didn't wait long. In groups of three and four, they popped their shiny heads up to the right of us. Two more sightings followed to the left. Up and down they came and went. I had to be continually zoomed, pointed, and ready in order to capture any evidence of these fleeting appearances with my camera, and even then, I didn't always get them. I wouldn't say that what we saw exactly qualified as frolicking, but the anticipation of seeing the seals and then actually seeing them again and again was exciting and didn't disappoint. They were much more social than we expected, and my daughter never tired of trying to be the first to spot them. "Over there, Mom, I see another one!"
So, for $38, we went on a scenic boat ride, saw a bunch of seals and had a fun hour and a half. And, no one threw up.
There is no set schedule for the Beachcomber until July. You should call for the month of June. They need at least 8 paying passengers for a trip to go out.
Fares:
$22.00 — Adults
$20.00 — Seniors 65 and older
$16.00 — Kids 3—15, under 3 are free
Lisa Genova
PhD, is the author of an upcoming book about early-onset Alzheimer's
Disease. See updates and read samples at http://www.StillAlice.com.
Purchase it here.
Compiled
by Adelyn Lee
Harbor
Seals - Phoca vitulina
Physical
description -The average size
for a male or female adult is approx. 4-5 feet in length
and 220-250lbs. Their coloration ranges from dark gray to
tan and is overlaid with many spots. Their heads are small,
their eyes are large, and their face resembles a cocker
spaniel.
Behavior -
They usually retreat to the water when approached but are
otherwise commonly seen resting on their side in a "banana
shape" on rocks along the coast.
Pupping - In New
England, pupping occurs between mid-May to mid-June along
the coasts of Maine and new Hampshire. Mothers nurse their
pups for 4-6 weeks and will temporarily leave them during
foraging trips.
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Gray
Seals - Halichoerus grypus
Physical
description - Males are characteristically larger
than females, averaging in size from 7 to 8 feet in length
and weighing approx. 660 to 770 lbs. Females average
6.5 feet and 330 to 450lbs. The male's coloration is
typically darker than females, in that males are dark
brown, gray, or black with smaller lighter spots and
females have a tan background with darker spots. The
most distinctive feature is the shape of their head.
They have been nicknamed "Horseheads" because
of their long, straight, slope of the profile.
Behavior -
They may or may not retreat to the water when approached.
They can be very vocal and aggressive.
Pupping - Born
from mid-December to early Febuary, usually on islands in
Penobscot Bay and Frenchman Bay, Maine and on Muskeget ,
Tuckernuck, and Monomoy Islands in Nantucket Sound, MA. Their
nursing period lasts for approx. 16 days, during which their
mothers will temporarily leave their pups during foraging
trips.
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Seals are protected by the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). It is against the law to touch, feed, or otherwise harass seals. Harassment
occurs when YOUR behavior changes THEIR behavior.
Never get in
the water with seals. They are large, wild animals and can be extremely dangerous. If they feel
threatened, they may become aggressive
in order to defend themselves.
Harassment
Warning Signs: If your
presence causes any of the following reactions, on land or in the water,
you are too close.
- Increased vocalizations by seals
- Movement back into the water
(single animal or the herd)
- All eyes are on you (single animal
or several in the herd)
- Disturbance from nromal resting
position (lifting their head to watch you
Never attempt to feed
seals.
- You could get seriously
injured.
- Feeding seals is
against the law; you could be arrested and/or fined.
- Food that isn't
a normal part of their diet will do more harm than good.
- Feeding negatively
impedes their ability to hunt and locate food on their own.
- Feeding encourages
seals to approach boats looking for handouts. This behavior has resulted
in
injuries from boat propellers.
Kayaks & Canoes
Close approaches to haul-out sites
by these engineless crafts should be avoided as they may elicit an
alarm response, causing seals to
rapidly enter the water.
Jet Skis
High speed water craft should avoid
seal haul-outs to minimize potential collisions.
Stay at least 50 yards away from
resting seals.
- Seals that are continually being
approached never get a chance to rest.
- Repeated interaction can exhaust
seals, leaving them vulnerable to predation and illness.
- Increased contact with people
will eventually lead seals to habituate to humans. Habituated seals are
more likely to suffer from negative
human interactions and less likely to avoid dangerous situations.
- Continued disturbance of mother/pup
pairs could lead to abandonment and subsequent mortality of the pup.
Limit your viewing time: maxmum 30
minutes
Your continued presence can cause
the animal unnecessary stress.
Keep pets on a leash
Inquisitive dogs are likely to
startle a resting seal, causing an aggressive, defensive response, that
might injure your pet or the seal.
Entanglements
Reports of seals entangled in fishing
gear, bait bags, and plastic debris such as ring frisbees, are on the rise!
When seals get entangled, they may be unable to feed or defend themselves
against predators. These entanglements often cause the animal to suffer and
ultimately die.
Vessel Collisions
Increasing numbers of seals are
being sighted with propeller wounds. Seals are likely to surface unexpectedly.
When entering and leaving a viewing area, manuever your vessel slowly, watching
for seal heads that are continually popping up around you!
A seal floats on his back at Chatham Harbor, so that he can
both breathe and see fish washing off the fishing boats.
