A young harbor seal took “surfing with the locals” literally when it began climbing onto strangers’ boards off the coast of San Diego.
Video shows the seal swimming through a group of surfers before pulling itself out of the water and making room beside them. It occasionally stays aboard long enough to catch a wave.
The seal did not settle for one surfing partner but moved between boards, sometimes resting in the sun before returning to the water and choosing another ride.
The footage has recently resurfaced online for its absolute cuteness, but the encounters were originally documented at Tourmaline Surf Park in Pacific Beach during the summer of 2023.
Surfers Nicknamed Their Unexpected Companion Sammy
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The Facebook reel shared by That Good News Girl compiled some of the seal’s most memorable appearances.
Local photographer and drone pilot Ed Hartel captured much of the original footage. The seal, which surfers nicknamed Sammy, appeared at the popular surfing spot repeatedly over several weeks.
According to ABC 10News San Diego, Sammy sometimes climbed aboard to take a nap and other times remained on a board as its rider caught a wave.
Surfers said they allowed the seal to approach on its own and avoided touching it. That occasionally meant giving up part of a board until their unexpected passenger decided it was time to move again.
Marine Life Experts Reportedly Found the Seal Healthy
Some early coverage described Sammy as an orphan after surfers speculated that a shark had killed its mother, but this was not confirmed, according to People.
The video explains that marine life experts evaluated the young seal and found no signs of illness or distress. They determined that it was healthy enough to remain in the wild and old enough to take care of itself. The unusual behavior still puzzled marine experts because harbor seals do not typically seek this much contact with people.
Visitors Should Not Approach Wild Seals
Although Sammy initiated the encounters, travelers should not attempt to recreate what happened in the video. NOAA Fisheries recommends remaining at least 50 yards from seals and sea lions. Visitors should never feed, touch, swim with, or deliberately interact with them.
If a seal approaches unexpectedly, people should remain calm, avoid touching it, and create distance when it is safe to do so.