seals, are they dangerous?

[spearobo]

Started spearfishing this year after living in cornwall all my life and cant believe what ive been missing , we have caught very few fish but the beauty that lies beneath is breathtaking !
We have had the pleasure of at least two seals on the majority of our trips out which is around 30 so far , and on one of our luckier trips a black seal ( steve ) followed us all the way in to the beach , more interested in our pollack than us i think , we kept him there for 10 mins while a few photos were taken and then gave him his reward ! we might of gone hungry but WOW what an experience !!!! Steve also seems to make an appearance within 10 mins of us being there , needless to say we are yet to leave with a catch but he's worth it !

 

[GrandeBleu]

Started spearfishing this year after living in cornwall all my life and cant believe what ive been missing , we have caught very few fish but the beauty that lies beneath is breathtaking !
We have had the pleasure of at least two seals on the majority of our trips out which is around 30 so far , and on one of our luckier trips a black seal ( steve ) followed us all the way in to the beach , more interested in our pollack than us i think , we kept him there for 10 mins while a few photos were taken and then gave him his reward ! we might of gone hungry but WOW what an experience !!!! Steve also seems to make an appearance within 10 mins of us being there , needless to say we are yet to leave with a catch but he's worth it !

I saw one this morning diving on the north coast. Been going out most mornings since May when the weather/sea is favorable and never saw a seal until today and wasn't expecting it. Thought at first it was a huge fish passing by out of the corner of my eye - big, fast movements are something unexpected where I tend to hang out, but quickly realized what it was and was then concerned about whether they attack... because I've never had to deal with one only several meters away before. Nearest I've ever seen them before now was a few hundred feet from a boat, and this one decided to stay motionless and check me out for a while from a distance. I didn't want to get closer either... I mean they are basically like large, aquatic wild dogs and I wasn't sure what to do with it. I did have a knife on me and was happy I did just in case. Glad to hear they do not usually attack, and that I probably won't need it. I wasn't fishing today but if I had been perhaps it would have taken greater interest. An odd feeling to be confronted with a large wild animal in the UK... we don't have many of those you're likely to encounter so close. The sea is pretty much our only wilderness.

 

[Tpain88]

I see them every now and then when surfing, more often when I'm alone or with a couple others out. It's a weird feeling having them stare at you but they're friendly. I hope I get to dive with them soon. Although, I don't think I would ever live it down if I was off work because I was bitten by a seal!