Swimming with seals

[always kintyre]

Been swimming with seals the last couple of days in lovely kintyre, just went for a swim and they joined me, the thought entered my mind that maybe I should ask if this is considered a safe pastime, it was lovely, im not a great swimmer but you could see the seals were enjoying themselves. So does anyone know if seals have ever been known to turn nasty during these encounters with us in their water, and why are none of the boats around kintyre offering swimming with seals trips? fantastic fun.

[LANDROVER ROGER]

The harbour in Newquay,Cornwall has notices stating that the harbour seals bite.This is probably due to someone`s little darling getting too close with tit-bits.

[EMDEE]

When we were at Peninver, our labarador would swim out to the rocks to visit the seals, which was a bit of a concern, as I would have thought they could be nasty with an intruder, particularly if they had young.

He's black, and in the water, he just looks like one of them.

[LANDROVER ROGER]

Had a similar experience with my labradors when we were at Strachur.The seals just disappeared.

[chrisduffy]

Hi,
I have had them swim around me whilst scuba diving off Sanda and on one occasion i felt a tug at my leg, turning round a seal was playfully biting on my fins, i had a camera and took a picture but the flash frightened it off, unfortunately the picture didnt come out very well.
I think they swim with you rather than the other way round and are easily frightened off, so dont know if swim with seal trips would work. When we drop in the water nearby a reef they tend to disappear underwater, they are great to watch underwater and really graceful and agile.
In the Farne Islands where there is a lot of scuba diving they are a lot less wary

Look at some of this guys videos, some amazing encounters in the Farnes

http://www.youtube.com/bburville#p/u/1/uXpalZJ3QgE

[always kintyre]

Thanks for the reply folks, i wouldnt feed them thats asking for trouble but it was a nice experience, loved the clips of the diver with the seal, fantastic.

[chrisduffy]

Out of interest, whereabouts were you swimming?

[Govangirl]

Swimming? What about cuddling? I think this is amazing:

http://www.clipjunkie.com/Cuddling-with-an-Elephant-Seal-vid6966.html

[Ross]

Have seals in the water all the time around westport machrihanish and tangy , usually looking bemused as to what were up to surfing. Only time they get a bit aggro is when its a big male seal getting a little bit territorial at whick point its a good time to get out of the water. To be fair its only happened a couple of times in all the years ive been out in the water.

[always kintyre]

Out of interest, whereabouts were you swimming?

Hi Chris, I dont really want to say as im always the only one there (selfish i know) but it was on the west side of Kintyre, I got the feeling they were laughing at me as im no great swimmer, when i swam left they swam left and when i changed direction and swam right they did it too and when i stopped swimming they did too and when i tried to do a wee dive they copied, i was amazed as I couldnt believe it. I know that seals are regularly shot in Argyll so to find them so interested was nice.

[always kintyre]

Swimming? What about cuddling? I think this is amazing:

http://www.clipjunkie.com/Cuddling-with-an-Elephant-Seal-vid6966.html

Thanks Govan Girl thats fantastic.

[chrisduffy]

Hi Chris, I dont really want to say as im always the only one there

No problem, hope they come out to see you again!