Sean Chinn’s Snorkel Journeys: Part 6 – Snorkelling with Pinnipeds

In this ongoing series regular contributor and worldwide snorkel adventurer Sean Chinn shares his snorkel journeys.

Part 6 – Snorkelling with Pinnipeds 

Now I must be honest before I continue. On the three occasions I’ve shared the water with pinnipeds (twice with grey seals and once with California sealions) I was actually diving and not snorkelling. I know this is contradicting the idea of snorkelling with these amazing mammals but bare with me as I explain that it is very easy to snorkel with them.

Back in October 2016 I visited a place in the UK called the Farne Islands, famous for it’s grey seal colony. Located just a short boat ride from Seahouses, Northumberland. October is a great time of year to go visit the grey seals as they have not long had pups and the juveniles are bountiful. They are also super friendly and playful creating some amazing memories in the water. I quickly realised this was going to be a lot of shallow diving and although I managed to reach 20 metres on one particular dive. Most my time was spent in only 5 metres of water. On a couple of the dives I even just spent around 45 minutes bobbing on the surface as the seals would come playfully bite my fins and grab my legs. This is the reason I say it works so well with snorkel and you don’t actually need to dive here.

Two playful grey seals pause to check me out in the Farne Islands.

2017 saw 2 occasions in the water with these playful marine mammals. First was in March 2017 when we finished our liveaboard to Socorro and were picked up at the marina on our arrival. We made our way north from Cabo to La Paz, Baja California. Here we would visit the famous California sealions of Los Islotes. There was me thinking the grey seals were overly friendly and energetic in the water. Well the sealions took it to a whole new arrival. Constantly darting past with a mischievous look in their eye as if to say “ha ha, you can’t catch me!” They were so fast and agile in the water it was incredible to witness. They were also just as playful and would also gently bite at my fins or hug me as one selfie can confirm. Again, although I was diving there were plenty of snorkelers in the water too, enjoying the playful and mischievous side to these sealions.

A sealion playfully nibbles on my fins at Los Islotes.

In October of that same year I would again visit the Farne Islands for more fun with the grey seals. The weather wasn’t great this time and on the far side of the island to the open ocean the waves were particularly violent as they crashed into the island. We found a sheltered area protected from the rough seas. A flat calm cove where the seals seemed to have the same idea as us. With the seals also taking cover in the area it created an adrenalin fuelled couple of dives with a whole gang of seals out ready to play and tease. Almost immediately we were harassed and lovingly hugged as we entered the water. We spent a long time in the water and as I wanted to try some split-shots with the seals. I was at the surface for the majority of the time. This didn’t stop the seals coming to check me out as they found the dome on my camera housing very interesting.

A California sealion in Los Islotes. Their agility was impressive to witness.

Find out more about Sean, his photography and his trips at: www.greatwhitesean.com