I paddled out on a 5 hour tour today with Martin, Tina, Jerome and Stan. We were on the hunt for whales and even though we didn't see any, we were rewarded with great Bald Eagle and harbor seal sightings. Paddling down the west side of Henry Island, we saw many mothers with pups and two males slapping the water and fighting. The other night when I saw that behavior I wasn't sure what I was looking at but after talking with other naturalists, I learned what that meant.
It turns out, male harbor seals are territorial and they exhibit a few different behaviors to challenge each other. First they'll go back and forth slapping the surface of the water, then they'll progress to grunting and roaring, and if that isn't enough for one to assert dominance, they'll begin to fight--biting, snarling and wrestling with each other. It was great to see that show for a second time-- especially now that I'm informed!
Having planned it right with the tides, we then rode the current all the way around and landed on a sunny pebble beach on the south side of Little Henry. Eating lunch on the beach with wide open views of the Olympic Mountain range was like having the best seat in the house!