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Seal
Observation Journal
Thursday
March 14, 2024 - More good seal watching today in the late
afternoon, but a south wind makes for fussy seals so we
are not seeing as many seals as we did over the weekend. Our prediction of big seal numbers
in early March was spot on, and we now foresee that the
next time we get a calm day or a day with a westerly wind
the seal count will go back up. This is the good stuff we
wait all year to see, and we plan to visit Rome Point
early (2 to 3 hours before low tide at Wickford) and often
in the coming weeks.
By the weekend low tide is late in the evening, with
Saturday being the better option for a late
afternoon/evening seal watch if the weather is OK.
On Monday the low tide becomes more advantageous in the
morning. With the best seal watching opportunities of the
season at hand, we often choose to take a chance on
sketchy wind/weather conditions on short notice, due to
our chronic wildlife watching FOMO (fear of missing out).
Check back here for reports and updated forecasts, we hope
to see you on the beach soon!
We hope that anyone who reads this website holds a little
grace for us when our seal observation forecasts miss the
mark or our outing plans change at the last minute,
however, some uncertainty is part of the wildlife
observation experience. One thing we do know for
certain: if you catch the seals at the right time with a
telescope on hand for close-up observation, your friends
or family will enjoy an experience that all will remember
for years to come.
Boat-based
seal tours are now departing from Wickford on the Coastal
Queen and we bid these new members of the seal watching
community at Rome Point a warm welcome. A cruise on the
bay is a fine way to responsibly observe wild marine
mammals, and the presence of a tour boat serves the best
interests of the seals by causing other watercraft
operators to think twice about approaching the resting
seals too closely. Check out the Cruise RI website here
if you are interested in a seal cruise, we are certainly
interested and hope to join them on a seal cruise soon.
The links below connect to short seal videos we posted on
YouTube for your seal watching amusement. Seal Pup
Follies was recorded in Maine in June 2012 and Linebelly
Rising is a short clip showing the former Rome Point
kingpin climbing to the top of his favorite pointy
rock.
Video Links:
Tail Biting Jumps March 2020
Seal Action March 2013
Linebelly
Rising
Big Seal Day 2011
Seal
Pup Follies
Rome Point Seals 2011