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By Daily Mail Reporter


Overboard: The seal checks out its surroundings from the dinghy, seemingly unfazed by the audience it had attracted


For a mammal that spends most of its time under water, the sight of an empty dinghy tied to a buoy was too good an opportunity to pass up.

This real-life Navy seal stunned onlookers when it crawled aboard the inflatable boat, moored on the River Orwell, near Woolverstone in Suffolk.

Clearly content with its new resting spot, the seal then lay on the dinghy for 10 minutes, soaking up the sunshine before leaping back into the water.


Astonished onlookers gathered to take pictures of the bizarre sight. At one point it looked like the dinghy would not hold the seal's weight as the vessel buckled under the animal's mass.

A typical male wild grey seal can reach up to 230 kilograms (more than 36 stone) with females weighing in at 155 kg (more than 24 stone).

These images were captured by pensioner June Deaton, 66, from Spalding, in Lincolnshire, who was taking a trip along the river with her family when the bizarre scenes unfolded in front of her, prompting her to reach for the camera.

Curious cargo: Onlookers were stunned when the seal clambered aboard the air-filled dinghy and lay in the sun for 10 minutes

Taking the weight off: It's a wonder the mammal did not sink the dinghy... typical adult male wild seals can weigh up to 36 stone while fully-grown females can reach more than 24 stone


She said: 'We were sailing back from a family fish and chip lunch when I spotted the seal. The seal jumped into the dinghy twice.

'We did not go too close at first as we thought we might scare it away. We shouted out to people on the river bank and a crowd built up.

'It was such a lovely sunny day. Far from being afraid, it seemed to be enjoying the sunshine and put on quite a show.

'My daughter-in-law has been sailing for many years and said she has never seen anything like this before.'

Indigenous: Grey seals are the largest breeding seals found in the UK and half of the world's population live along on the British coastline


Grey seals are the largest breeding seals found in the UK and half of the world's population live along on the British coastline.

Male grey seals are much larger than females. They have broad shoulders, an elongated snout and heavy muzzle whereas females have a less rounded profile.

Wild grey seals vary in colour from dark brown to grey or black with blotches, and females tend to be paler than the males.


source:dailymail