Seal in the Severn

[Pennie]

Pretty certain I saw a seal jumping out the water between Lincomb and Holt lock on the river severn today. Some huge leapt out and then the splash as it landed back in was massive. It was about 10 boat lengths in front so I couldn't see what it was except it was pale grey and about the size if the body of a small cow.

 

I know there was a seal that far up a few years ago. Has there been any sitings since?

[Claude]

Sounds like an amazing sight, but do seals leap out of the water? I'm no naturalist but I've never seen it happening on any of the nature programmes. Not disputing what you saw but it's difficult to get am idea of scale against the expanse of water.

[Pennie]

Dolphins have been seen in Worcester years ago

[gazza]

Seals regularly seen at St Ives 40 odd miles inland from the salty stuff.

 

My dog lost the plot at both Earith and St Ives at the sight of the dog like amphibious creatures.

[Naughty Cal]

Seals don't jump out of the water.

 

See seals on regular basis on the Witham.

 

Could it have been a porpoise? We have seen these on the Trent and the Ouse.

Seals regularly seen at St Ives 40 odd miles inland from the salty stuff.

My dog lost the plot at both Earith and St Ives at the sight of the dog like amphibious creatures.

There was a mother and pup at Earith when we were up that way last summer.

 

No great surprise really as there is nothing in their way from the Wash up to there.

[gazza]

Seals don't jump out of the water.

 

See seals on regular basis on the Witham.

 

Could it have been a porpoise? We have seen these on the Trent and the Ouse.

 

There was a mother and pup at Earith when we were up that way last summer.

 

No great surprise really as there is nothing in their way from the Wash up to there.

That's right, there is a small colony that lives in West View. They sunbathe on the moorings

 

Impressive that they can negotiate locks - Brownhills and St Ives, along with the Dog In A Doublet and Orton Lock on the Nene.

[Naughty Cal]

They come through the Grand Sluice as well.

 

We have been in the lock when one has come through.

[casper ghost]

We had a seal in the Severn at Bridgnorth not so long ago, and that is a long long way from the sea.

Casp'

[Dave_P]

I can't imagine how a porpoise would possibly reach holt lock. Also my understanding is that they couldn't survive in fresh water.

Has Nessie headed south?

[Jerra]

Also my understanding is that they couldn't survive in fresh water.

 

As I understand it there is only one species of porpoise/dolphin which lives permenently in freshwater but many other species are known to go into freshwater at times.

[Dave_P]

As I understand it there is only one species of porpoise/dolphin which lives permenently in freshwater but many other species are known to go into freshwater at times.

That's my understanding too. But it's generally brackish/slightly salty water like the Thames tide way to Teddington. To my knowledge the furthest up the Severn that dolphins or Porpoises have been seen is Gloucester-ish. Holt is a whole different thing. Except in extreme flooding, would a dolphin get up all those weirs. It's not a Salmon!

[gazza]

They come through the Grand Sluice as well.

 

We have been in the lock when one has come through.

Closest we have come to one on the boat was an inquisitive one bobbing up at the stern while we were having an alfresco breakfast at the cockpit table.

 

The dog goes nuts at the smell of them at Earith - he's proper scared of them, it can be mildly embarrassing walking him thru West view shaking like a leaf for no apparent reason - all 7 stone of him!

[Pennie]

I think it was more likely the loch Ness monster than a salmon that size

[Captain Pegg]

Keith the Worcestershire Seal - that turned out to be female - is, or perhaps was, a celebrity in these parts having been spotted regularly in the river near Worcester. She even has a Facebook page dedicated to her. This may have been the seal spotted as far north as Bewdley which was a reliable sighting but there haven't been any sightings at all since March 2015 and those don't appear to be reliable.

 

I suspect if there were a seal north of Holt it would be news here. Could it have been an otter?

 

JP

Edited June 24, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[nickfryer]

Pretty certain I saw a seal jumping out the water between Lincomb and Holt lock on the river severn today. Some huge leapt out and then the splash as it landed back in was massive. It was about 10 boat lengths in front so I couldn't see what it was except it was pale grey and about the size if the body of a small cow.

I know there was a seal that far up a few years ago. Has there been any sitings since?

Last year coming up the Trent just approaching Cromwell lock we saw a large seal in the water straight in front of us. It dived under and then appeared right behind the boat. Great sight to see.

[Dave_P]

If I'm honest I'd say it was probably a very big fish. Maybe call Jeremy Wade.

[Dave_P]

http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/News--Catches/General-News/Shock-94lb-UK-river-catfish-banked-on-12lb-line/

[casper ghost]

 

I suspect if there were a seal north of Holt it would be news here. Could it have been an otter?

 

JP

I saw that seal a mile south of Bridgnorth at the time, so it made it further north than Bewdley.

Casp'

[MtB]

I think to seal in the severn (as thread title) would create a large 'dam' effect, then we could generate a lot of hydro-electricity.

[Jerra]

Could it have been an otter?

 

JP

I have never heard of Otter leaping out of the water, "porpoising" yes leaping no. It is described in the OP as grey otters are brown and the size of a small cow. A big male otter would be maybe a metre and a half including tail with a slim body not what I would describe as a small cow.

[nicknorman]

Thing is, if you just want to seal in the Severn so that those pesky Europeans can't have any nice Welsh water flowing into their Manche, I can't help thinking it will all end in tears as the southwest slowly submerges.

Edited June 26, 2016 by nicknorman

[Jerra]

Digging deeper it seems the Common Seal (actually the least common of the two UK species) does leap out of the water and they are found round the Severn Estuary. So it isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that it was a Common Seal they grow up to nearly 2 M and about 100- 150 Kg.

[Captain Pegg]

Digging deeper it seems the Common Seal (actually the least common of the two UK species) does leap out of the water and they are found round the Severn Estuary. So it isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that it was a Common Seal they grow up to nearly 2 M and about 100- 150 Kg.

I missed the bit about it being the size of a small cow. While it isn't beyond the realms of possibility it is difficult to see how something of that size could have gotten four locks above the tidal limit at this time of year and without being seen by others.

 

JP

[gazza]

I missed the bit about it being the size of a small cow. While it isn't beyond the realms of possibility it is difficult to see how something of that size could have gotten four locks above the tidal limit at this time of year and without being seen by others.

 

JP

Seals manage two locks up the Nene and the same on the Great Ouse that I know of, I wonder if the Seals of the Severn are more adventurous than their East Coast cousins?

[Dave_P]

Digging deeper it seems the Common Seal (actually the least common of the two UK species) does leap out of the water and they are found round the Severn Estuary. So it isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that it was a Common Seal they grow up to nearly 2 M and about 100- 150 Kg.

However, Keith is a female Grey Seal. Do they leap about too?