We all know that Monday mornings usually aren’t a hot-bed of news activity. Channel 8’s morning newscast today included a warning about runaway horses in Bethany during their traffic report, for example (I’m not kidding). So unless there was some God-forbid tragic accident or international scandal over the weekend, news outlets tend to focus on sports, weather, and filler stories to get us into the work week. So I’m not really surprised that one of the main news stories on the New Haven Register’s website was a promotion for an upcoming seal-watching trip on the Connecticut shoreline. But I am surprised anyone would want to go.
The story caught my eye for a few reasons.
#1: I wasn’t aware that the Connecticut shoreline has many seals hanging out. Sure, you’ve heard of them in San Diego’s bay and Puget Sound, but Hammonasset State Park isn’t somewhere I would think of when hunting for seals ( in a non-lethal sort of way, that is). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “Harbor seals are year-round inhabitants of the coastal waters of eastern Canada and Maine and occur seasonally along the southern New England and New York coasts from September through late May.” Maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of one, maybe you won’t. Ranger Dan from the New Haven Parks service subtly throws in the prospect of “winter birding” as part of the trip, knowing full well that the chances of actually seeing a seal are slim to none.
#2: It’s freaking cold out! If they “occur seasonally” through May, why go out looking for them in January? Who wants to trudge out to Madison and Waterford to look for seals that may or may not be there? The prospect of going to a windy beach in the dead of winter does not sound fun, no matter how interesting the wildlife is when I get there.
#3: Leave the poor seals alone. Remember last year how one washed up on shore with a gunshot wound (where’s that “Law & Order” episode?) Who’s to say it didn’t happen during one of these trips, where seal-haters can easily get to their prey complete with a ride there and back, a history lesson and a nature tour? It’s like fish in a barrel for these seal shooters. And what if there are baby seals? We can’t rule out the impossibility of club attacks. Can’t the poor seals enjoy their winter months in peace? They’re in frigid, horrific waters as it is; do they really need to be dealing with snot-nosed, possibly murderous people on top of surviving a New England winter? Plus, something tells me that word got around in seal circles that people=bad news, which means they won’t be showing up anyway.
#4: It costs money. Fifteen bucks to be exact. In this economy, I’m not ready to throw my money away on the possibility of maybe spotting a seal from a distance. Federal law requires people to stay at least 150 feet from a seal, so you’re really not even going to get your money’s worth if you do go. Or you’ll have to invest even more in binoculars. “If they can see you, you’re too close,” one website says. Then why go at all?
For my money, I’ll check out the Discovery Channel or the SeaWorld website. But for those of you with nothing to do on a Thursday morning in January, consider yourself invited.
For the record…I saw a seal at the Glastonbury-Rocky Hill ferry landing. It was pretty adorable…but it was also free, and I got to see an otter too so it was kinda 2-for-1.
Was it the middle of January? I’m gonna bet no.
Don’t remember the month but it was floating on ice… some weirdo called my office and reported it…otherwise I never would have been there.
I’ve never seen a seal in New Haven, but my Father remembers seeing dolphins of off Lighthouse Point in the 50s. So this begs the question, how long does it take to make a body of water uninhabitable?
Your article about seeing seals in Long Island Sound was delightful. Believe it or not, we do have folks who like to bundle up and take a ride on our research vessel “Oceanic” for the opportunity to train their binoculars upon a basking seal or two. These are the same folks who love to go to all sorts of harsh and exotic locations to count birds. It is a special sort of mania. My father-in-law is afflicted, so I have a bit of insight.
If one wishes to see seals in Long Island Sound it requires a winter venture. We are a seal’s Miami Beach. During the summer they are up north at Sable Island making little seals. They come here in the winter for our balmy climate.
You can bundle up and for a mere $5 more than New Haven’s beach walk take a boat ride. Our educators will also talk about life in Long Island Sound and pull up some critters for you to consider. Departure times and dates vary by the tides, so check the Aquarium web site or call: 203-854-6380.
Of course, you can also see harbor seals from climate controlled comfort 363 days a year at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. They keep the air warm in winter for the visitors and chill the pool water for the seals. Everybody’s comfortable!
Visitors can also see these animals underwater at the Aquarium, hard to do in the wild. Ludicrous on land, these blubbery creatures are sleek and graceful underwater.
Indications are that seal sightings are increasing in Long Island Sound. Dolphins are out there too: bottlenose and Atlantic white sided.
By the way, the photo on your article is of a sea lion. Harbor seals are a lot smaller.
I thought it was something even bigger than a sea lion – that thing is monstrous… but alas, we opt for funny over accurate so it doesn’t much matter.