Arctocephalus Pusillus!

You'd better say that slowly or you could be in trouble! That is the larney name for our Cape Fur Seal, or South African Fur Seal as it is now known.

We have had some very warm weather lately, our 'air-conditioner' has not been working too well, and we have waited until nearly seven o'clock to take Alfie for his daily walk. Even then, he drags behind or finds any bit of shade that he can to sit in and catch his breath! When we stop to chat to people (which happens very often!) he sits in Rob's shadow to keep as cool as he can! (Rob is losing weight though, so the shadow is becoming thinner!!) Sunday registered 35 C on our veranda, but I know that it was over 40 C inland.

The sea has been calm and tranquil lately too, but over the December period we had some huge waves that we could see crashing on the rocks in the bay, and we could see Seal Island being bombarded and pounded, with spray lifting high into the air. Sometimes the young seals get washed off the rocks and we see the tiny corpses lying on the beach. One youngster arrived unharmed during the December holidays and managed to get itself onto the rocks where the fishermen stand almost daily. When we walked nearby, we could see the tiny glistening form lying on the rock in the sun and I was hoping that it would be safe. Some fishermen blame the seals for the lack of good fishing, and will happily beat them to death, or shoot them.

Seal Island is way beyond the houses on the right.

But we needn't have worried. The fishermen actually started to feed it with their bait and the small fish that they caught that were too small to keep, and this little soul grew and grew! Now here's a ponderance for you all: If the male is a Bull and the female is a Cow, why isn't the baby called a Calf? Hmmm? But it isn't, it's a Pup! And the collective noun for seals is a Rookery or a Trip. (So, is a flock of rooks called a Sealery? Makes you think hey?)

The arrival at flat rock!

Last Saturday we walked down to the rock and it was frolicking in the water, rolling and waving its flipper in the air. Then it saw me and swam straight to the rock, heaved itself up and looked at me as if to say 'Right, I'm ready for supper, what's on the menu tonight?' When it saw that I didn't have anything to tempt it with, and it shunned the old bits of bait that I found lying on the rock, it literally rolled its eyes, yawned, flopped onto its tummy and ignored me!

Ignoring me, still getting comfy!

Alfie by then was quite interested, and was keen to investigate this small, dark, wet and shiny thing. Rob had kept him back from the flat rock, but I needed some photos and Rob had his mobile phone with him. So Alfie had his first close-up look at a seal! I don't know who was more interested, but we didn't let Alfie get too close. Seals have large teeth!

Settled for the evening.

So, it seems that the seal is doing well, it has managed to keep itself alive, feed itself and find shelter. Sadly it hasn't managed to find its way back home and I don't think it will venture out of the bay .

And who can blame it? Home was never like this!