A harbor seal stole my surface marker buoy and I still laugh about it

Out on a job near Port Angeles last May, I surfaced from a hull inspection and this big seal just grabbed my SMB line and took off with it, dragging it through the water like a toy. My tender and I were yelling at each other on comms, trying to figure out if we should chase it or call it a loss. The seal swam around for 20 minutes, dropped it right back beside the ladder, and then just stared at me like it was waiting for a tip. Cost me about $60 to replace the reel anyway since the line got chewed up, but I couldn't even be mad. Has anyone else had gear swiped by wildlife on a dive?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty13624d ago

Oh man, that is hilarious! I once had a sea lion grab my dive flag and take off with it, then it just floated there watching me swim after it like I was the dumb one. Still cracks me up when I think about it.

the_charles23d ago

Did that seal wave at you on the way out? @betty136, your sea lion story reminds me of the time a sea lion swam off with my fins while I was doing a shore entry near Monterey. I had to do this stupid one-legged hop along the rocks trying to grab them back while my buddy laughed so hard he almost dropped his tank. The thing just spit them out on the beach like it was done with them, and I had to walk back in front of a bunch of tourists wearing one fin and looking like a total clown.