Boats and Kayaks

Recently, incidents of the seals at Rome Point being flushed (spooked into the water by human activity) and chased away from the haul-out site have increased. In most cases, non-motorized watercraft are responsible for these unfortunate occurrences. The seals need their rest and the stress associated with being chased from the rocks has a negative impact on these animals. When the weather is suitable for boating recreation the seals may be harassed repeatedly several times in a day or on consecutive days by different watercraft. Being disturbed is especially troublesome for the pregnant female seals in the spring; pup-bearing seals need to conserve their energy for their migration and subsequent nursing. In addition, the thoughtless harassment of the seals can spoil an outing for hopeful seal watchers who have hiked out to Rome Point to observe seals in a responsible manner, or for families who have paid to take a guided boat-based seal tour.

Romepointseals.org does not look kindly upon watercraft operators who disturb or harass the seals. We have been monitoring this location for 20 years and have detailed notes recording the names, registration numbers, and descriptions of boats and kayaks that have disturbed or harassed the seals in the past. Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt; however, after 20 years of this nonsense our patience is wearing thin. Repeat or intentional blatant violators of the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act will be videotaped up close and personal through our camera-equipped sport optics and our eyewitness account will be submitted to the proper authorities.

We recognize that in most cases mariners do not intend to cause any harm, they just want to get a close-up look at the seals. Our sympathy lies especially with kayakers and paddle boarders, who may not realize that harbor seals are very sensitive to their presence and are frequently flushed by kayaks at a distance as far as 1/2 mile away. However, our tolerance for accidental flushing incidents is inversely proportional to the number of times this occurs, and the seals are being flushed way too frequently now whenever the weather is nice.

We have created a map to provide guidance for non-motorized watercraft navigation at Rome Point during the seal season, as shown below. The routes and closed areas shown on the map are voluntary, but starting in the fall of 2019, flushing the seals, which is a violation of Federal law without regard to the distance that the watercraft is from the animals, is no longer going to be tolerated at Rome Point. Knowledgeable paddlers have long paid heed to their responsibility to avoid disturbing resting protected marine mammals, and we greatly appreciated the consideration they have shown over the years. However, it is everyone's responsibility to know the navigational rules and applicable Federal laws when venturing out on a large body of water such as Narragansett Bay, and those who pay no heed to our public information campaign will pay fines in federal court in the future.

Mariners who are navigating in the vicinity of hauled-out seals must observe the following guidelines.

Motorized boats must maintain a distance of at least 50 yards and should plan to view the seals quietly, using binoculars. If seals are leaving the rocks and entering the water because of the presence of any watercraft, that vessel is too close and is in violation of Federal law.
Do not approach the seal haul-out site. Boats should maintain their distance and pass the rocks under power, using the tide and wind to maintain a course parallel to the rocks, but far enough away that the seals remain undisturbed.
Do not shout, sound the horn, or allow dogs on board to bark at the seals. Avoid sudden movements on the boat. Do not attempt to feed the seals.
Observe the seals closely for signs that your presence is disturbing them, such as: looking at you, increased activity, stretching their necks into the air, or starting to move towards the water. Back off immediately if the seals are reacting to your presence.
Kayakers paddling in the vicinity of Rome Point when seals are present should hug the coastline along the western shore of Narragansett Bay. To avoid disturbing the seals you must stay as close to the shore as possible; if you stay inside of the outer-most, close-in rock at the point there is a good chance that you can sneak past the seals. Proceed quickly and quietly through the area, staying close to the shore until 1/4 mile past the haul-out rocks. Alternately, kayaks are advised to proceed around the north side of Fox island and stay at least 500 yards from the seal haul-out rocks as they pass by down the center of the west passage. Approaching the seal haul-out rocks in a kayak will definitely scare the seals away.
No drones are allowed in the vicinity of the haul out rocks! If you wish to use a drone to observe or photograph the seals, please contact us for guidance as to how this can be done in a responsible fashion.

The best way to observe seals at Rome Point is from shore using a spotting scope, or to take a seal tour with our friends at Fish'n Tales Adventures. Everyone is invited to join us and the other seal observers on the Rome Point shore; we are always eager to share my scope with all interested persons and families. Kayakers who want to see wild seals up close are urged to beach in Bissel Cove and walk across the point to view the seals. The seals, as well as your neighbors and fellow nature lovers, will think most highly of you for your kind consideration.

Home