In the News

Lloyd Center’s Seal-Watch a Huge Success

Despite repeated warnings of an impending storm, the twenty-three nature enthusiasts who bravely signed onto the Lloyd Center for the Environment’s mid-winter Penikese Island Seal-Watch were rewarded with a surprisingly balmy day, calm seas and a record number of active wintering seals. Fortuitous timing allowed a period of mid-tide to set the stage for these marvelous marine entertainers, who seemed only too happy to "perform" on a small spit of land known as "Gull Island". While harbor seals basked on rocks, the much larger grey seals swam and dove nearby, apparently content to search the frigid waters for whatever tasty fish might swim by.

The happy spectators aboard the Lloyd Center’s chartered craft watched in awe as a crowd of harbor seals and a single young harp seal gazed back from the rocks, seemingly oblivious to the presence of their fans and offering unusually close-up poses for the photographers among the group. With the grey seals venturing surprisingly near the boat, their large “horse-heads” setting them apart from the rest, Lloyd Center expert naturalist Jamie Bogart provided an informative and entertaining background narrative about these sensitive marine mammals, which are actually known to increase in number during the winter months.

Once on Penikese Island itself, the Lloyd Center crowd warmed themselves with well received cups of steaming hot chocolate, compliments of the Penikese Island School. A tour by students there gave the grateful seal-watchers a chance to view the former leper colony’s historical landmarks, see the familiar resident “Guinea Hens” that share the island with rare nesting seabirds, and enjoy a unique glimpse into the rustic infrastructure of the school and its living quarters.

Only after returning to safety of the mainland dock in Padanaram Harbor, did the very first drops of the much anticipated rain come down from the sky!