Sunday April
21, 2024 - The wind forecasters must have a
busted compass, as they once again missed the wind
direction mark today. However, their anemometer must be
working OK because the wind was light as predicted, so
the seals hauled out for our viewing pleasure. Good seal
days have been in short supply lately, so were were
happy to share a good seal watch with several small
groups of seal seekers on this cool, cloudy Sunday.
The end of the seal season is in
sight, and our lengthy Spring chore list will keep us
from visiting Rome Point on weekdays this week. Late
morning to mid-afternoon will be good for seal
observation most of this week. By next weekend, the low
tide will shift to late afternoon. The opportunity to
see the peak numbers of seals on the rocks has passed,
but smaller groups of seals often put on a worthwhile
show, even for experienced observers. If the weather is
suitable we will be back in the seal watching game once
again next Saturday and Sunday.
We took a look
at our past seal counts recently, as we were curious
when we had last seen over 150 seals on the rocks at
Rome Point. It turns out that March 27, 2021 was the
last seal count that exceeded the 150 seal
benchmark, and we have to go back to spring 2018 to
see multiple consecutive counts of greater than 150
seals. We were aware that the
past several seasons we have been seeing fewer seals
than we have in years past, and some of that can be
accounted for considering the lower number of
observations that we made during the Covid years of 2020
and 2021. Spring 2022 and 2023 were very busy years for
our small business which resulted in less free time for
seal watching during those spring seasons, which is a
factor that makes drawing conclusions from our
observation records more uncertain. Still, we would
assert that there are not as many seals making there
home in Narragansett Bay as there were 10 years ago, for
reasons that we continue to ponder as our seal counts
gradually become slightly lower each season.
One good thing about windy days... which messed up our
seal watching plans on many days in the past month.
However, the wind serves to keep boats and kayaks away.
Pleasant Spring weekend weather brings with it the
possibility of watercraft activity in the area, which
can spoil an otherwise perfect seal day if paddlers or
boaters scare the seals away. This time of year we make
an extra effort to arrive at the beach 2 to 3 hours
before low tide in an attempt to to stay a step ahead of
seal-watch-spoiling boats or kayaks. Check back here for
reports and updated forecasts, we hope to see you on the
beach 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