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Seal in the river |
22.06.2002 |
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Ó
Ian Jackson |
There is a common seal living in the
Great Ouse. I had heard some weeks ago that it had been seen
just below St Ives lock, about 50 miles inland from the mouth
of the river at Kings Lynn.
Last weekend Gilly and Ian Jackson were
taking the pretty route to the Ferryboat Inn at Holywell.
Ten minutes’ row from the lock, they spotted a seal lying
on the shore. They were able to back their boat up to
take photographs and, as they retreated, the seal slid into
the water, not to escape but to take a closer look. It
proceeded to follow them down the river. As Ian said, it was
like a cat following you home: sometimes coming close enough
to touch, then going ahead and waiting for you to catch up.
They parted company at the pub, the Jacksons going ashore
for refreshment and ‘Sammy’ as they decided to call him,
with little originality, continuing downstream.
Sightings of common seals in fresh
water are not that uncommon. While writing this, I took my
morning walk to the gravel pits and got talking to an
angler. He told me of a seal seen lying on a riverside lawn
at Earith last winter and seals seen in St Ives. There are
several thousand common seals living in the Wash and they
regularly wander up the Great Ouse to Denver Sluice, which
is not too great a barrier to pass. They then have a clear
run along the still-tidal stretch to the lock at Earith. A
seal as tame as ‘Sammy’, would easily accompany boats
through locks.
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