This morning as we hiked the salt marshes tucked into the lee of Lieutenant Island’s sandy hook, we spotted another juvenile harp seal lounging on the snowy remnants of last night’s storm front. In mermaid perfect pose, she surveyed her domain, while soaking up the weak rays of an occluded sunrise.
Juvenile Harp Seal on Lieutenant Island
Assessing us as “non-threat,†she went about her business, playfully sliding down a nearby creek bank and waddling toward the low-tide drained Loagy Bay.
Juvenile Harp Seal Plays in Drained Marsh Channel
She obviously enjoyed this protected refuge, because several hours later I received a call from a resident asking if I had seen the young harp seal now hauled out on the Sandy Hook and whether she was okay. I told her, “Yes, she seemed in good health . . . very well nourished and quite active.â€