Seal Was Trying to Say Something to Diver, When He Didn’t Understand – It Grabbed His Hand
Two scuba divers went for a dive as usual in the cool waters of the Isles of Scilly, where they expected the marvelous sights they would usually encounter during such an activity.
However, what they did not expect was a harem of seals approaching them at the bottom of the ocean to try to warn them about something they did not know.
Surprise Guests
During the dive, the two diver buddies caught sight of something uncanny that was not exactly a hidden treasure from a shipwreck. Although the coral reef and ocean flaura and fauna were such unique sights to behold, Grayson and his diving partner had to stop in their tracks in amusement of something far more interesting for them at the time.
The two felt a mix of awe and alarm when they saw two Atlantic gray seals making their way towards them. Contrary to popular belief, seals aren’t always friendly and docile creatures, so you can just imagine how strange it was to see them approaching humans.
At this point, Grayson and his diving partner were left with no choice.
Nada
The two divers did what they had to do: nothing. Scuba divers are taught to give sea creatures the space and the leeway to continue as they are in any circumstance, especially since they are in their natural habitat. Disturbing these creatures could lead to an unpleasant end for the diver, and not the animal. So Grayson and his buddy decided to stay as calm as they could upon seeing the seals approaching.
Seals have a reputation for being friendly and playful towards humans. However, this is not the case for all of them. Some seals prefer being left alone and gets dangerously aggressive once they sense something as a threat, so Grayson tried his best to be as non-threatening as possible.
Stay Calm, Don’t Move
As the seals approached them, the two divers tried their best to remain calm amidst the threatening situation. While the situation seemed daunting for the two buddies, they saw the opportunity to film a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence so they took their camera out to record the events unfolding right before their eyes.
Seals are known to come up from behind and suddenly appear from thick kelp forests, which is precisely where the diver friends were near. Knowing this, the two decided that the events that would transpire would surely be interesting, hence they kept their cameras rolling just in case.
Diving Into The Unpredictable
The ocean is the largest natural ecosystem in the world, and it’s no big surprise to know that it holds so many secrets and unpredictabilities. There is still a myriad of wonders hidden in this body of water that humans have yet to discover, so each dive is an opportunity to explore new possibilities and witness fascinating events.
Diving videography is Grayson’s niche, and many have watched in awe at his masterpieces. This time, however, he was the one who stood in awe at what was happening right before his eyes. It was quite an experience–and it’s one that not many are blessed with.
What the seals went on to do next was definitely something that Grayson never expected!
A Footage Taken To Keep You In Awe
The two divers were fortunate to have one another during that particular moment, as it was an opportunity for one to capture everything on film while the other distracts the seals and observes their every move. Neither of them could have imagined how awe-struck viewers of this footage would become, leading the video to be shared and viewed on YouTube by millions!
As Grayson and his friend filmed the seals, these incredible sea creatures kept inching closer and closer towards them–so close that the first thing you will see when you watch the video is one of the seals swimming right next to the camera.
Mere Pups
During the seals’ approach, the two divers eventually realized that these two were baby seals. Knowing this made them both realize that it was even more important to keep still.
Seeing as these seals were mere pups, the two divers knew that they were more prone to swimming away with just a sudden jolt of movement as they were more likely to feel afraid of the unknown especially without their parents around. So they kept as still and as they could in the most non-threatening way that they could manage.
Getting Comfortable
The two divers saw that this was an opportunity of a lifetime, so they took the opportunity to get footage of these amazing sea creatures up close. Fortunately, the pups seemed to have sensed that they meant no harm and eventually got comfortable around Grayson and his friend, going around them in circles as if performing a show for them.
While it’s a known fact that seals are friendly and playful, what makes them even more interesting is how they each have unique personalities of their own.
Not too long after that, one of the seals started putting on a more fantastic act.
A Dive Like No Other
Knowing that seals have a reputation of either being friendly and curious or indifferent and skittish, Grayson and his friend had to be careful as things could have gone bad if they made even just a single mistake. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, yes–but they also had to be cautious for their safety.
While the two divers had plenty of experience to back them up, they were still careful about the situation as anything could come out of it–even bad outcomes. Moreover, this was a fairly new experience for them as it’s not every day that you get to encounter wild sea creatures up close.
Pups Like Puppies
Between the « friendly and curious » and « indifferent and skittish » types, the two seals were eventually found to be more of the former than the latter, and this was a good thing for the divers. The way they circled around Grayson and his friend were non-threatening, and they seemed to get even friendlier as they came closer. It was both a nerve-wracking and exciting encounter for the two divers, but a huge sense of relief flooded over them knowing that things turned out for the better.
This playfulness and friendliness from the seals would remind you of dogs, and the cuteness of these sea creatures would make you think they were plump little water dogs. With puppy dog eyes inviting you to come play with them, you surely won’t be able to resist! But what they did next was something that the divers couldn’t have seen coming.
As Close As Possible
What happened next was so unbelievable that Grayson and his friend were dumbfounded! The pups seemed to be so fascinated with the encounter that they were in such close proximity with the divers. Just like humans, seals are often cautious around unknown objects to protect themselves so this was such an amazing and thrilling experience for the two divers.
The baby seals opened up to them so fast that this was perhaps the closest encounter with seals that has ever taken place–ever! It seemed like the seals were trying to befriend them, turning an otherwise ordinary dive into an extraordinary experience that the whole world was able to watch in fascination.
However, the divers were still mildly apprehensive about the situation as there was something they had deemed odd.
Befriending A Stranger
Imagine the divers’ surprise when the seals not only came up close, but began interacting with them as well! One of the seals approached Grayson in what seems like an attempt to hold hands. The nudging gesture continued and it was looking as if the seal wanted to form a circle with the two divers.
Unsure of what exactly he should do, Grayson took the pup’s flippers and shook them, assuring the sea creatures that they meant no harm and that they were willing to play along.
Sealing The Deal And Taking The Lead
After what seemed like an affirmation of a new friendship formed, the seal took this as a sign to continue playing with the divers and took Grayson’s arms. Since it was an encounter like they’ve never had before, the two divers decided to just go with the flow and gave the seals the leeway to take the lead.
While professional divers are trained and certified to handle and manage their breathing underwater (among many other lessons), not all scuba divers are certified animal trainers. Hence Grayson and his friend thought it best to remain careful with their actions by keeping still unless the seals gestured for them to move. This encounter was a first of its kind for them, after all, so they took on the safer route to avoid any complications that may arise.
An Uncanny Experience
During dives with the intention of exploring and studying wildlife creatures, it would normally take days before professional divers can gain the trust of seals or any other animal for that matter. They had to assure these animals that they are non-threatening creatures and they try to normalize their presence around the sea animals to prove that they mean no harm.
So you can just imagine how odd this behavior was for the seals to immediately approach Grayson and his friend, as this was something unheard of–until now.
But what was even odder was what one of the seals did shortly after getting too close.
A Supposedly Aggressive Behavior
Getting too close is usually a sign of aggression for seals, but fortunately enough for the two divers, they were able to present a non-threatening aura to the seals that the cute pudgy creatures decided to play with them instead. One of the seals nudged Grayson’s arm and nibbled on his diving suit playfully–all this while the two friends floated in awe.
While all this was happening, the seal’s companion was just swimming around them minding his own business and seemingly watching over his friend just as Grayson’s friend was doing with him. It was such an adorable experience that showed each of the seals’ personalities!
A Whole New World
Swimming gracefully with these humans around, the seals seemed so comfortable and open to the divers that one would think they had been friends for quite a while now. The pups were so much in their element which added to their easiness, as swimming freely in the water was so much different from dragging their rotund bodies on land with their flippers.
Seal pups often venture off into the unknown four months after they are born, during which they spend these first few months with their mothers, perhaps to learn how to fend for themselves. Seeing how they were so excited and enthusiastic about the encounter, the seals must have just begun exploring the underwater world when they came across the two divers.
No Hesitations
As what also happens to humans at times, the seal went against the norm and swam up to Grayson and his friend the moment he saw them. Upon making sure that the divers were friendly creatures, the seal deduced that it was probably safe to go on and play with them.
Clearly, the seal was a very friendly one who seemed to have no sense of distance. It kept nudging Grayson’s arm and shortly after nibbling on his diving suit, it behaved in such a way that no one would have expected.
This behavior confused the divers for a while, as they were trying to understand what exactly was happening.
A Puppy-Like Pup
After seeing the seal enjoying nuzzling on his arm for quite a while now, Grayson soon realized that it must like the feeling and scratched the seal’s neck and head as if it were an actual puppy from land. Grayson had guessed right as the seal allowed him to keep doing this for a while.
The two divers floated there dumbfounded at how lucky they were! This diving trip was definitely one for the books, and one that they – and a million others – wouldn’t soon forget. But what the seal decided to do next made it all the more unforgettable.
Tell-Tale Signs
After a generous amount of time with the sea creatures, Grayson and his friend were curious about how much longer they can continue to play with the seals. So the two decided to just make the most out of the amazing experience, as this was something they probably wouldn’t encounter ever again–much more so, take a video of.
The seals could have decided to swim away after playing with the divers for a bit, but they were apparently just getting started as one of the seals began moving around in a way that he wanted Grayson to interpret.
Confusion On Grayson’s End
Grayson kept scratching the seal’s neck in an attempt to keep it calm, but it kept on inching closer and closer towards the ground as if signaling something he wanted to do. All the while it kept on nibbling at Grayson’s diving suit, urging him to do something, but it remained a mystery to him what exactly this something was.
The seal’s gestures continued on for a bit more until Grayson finally realized what it had been trying to tell him.
Mystery Solved
The pup eventually laid on its back, and this made it clear to Grayson that it was looking for a belly rub. The diver did such a good job petting the seal that it wanted him to continue doing so, this time at a more comfortable position and area. How adorable!
This behavior is highly reminiscent of that of a dog, and it was such an amazing sight to see this from a seal! This particular seal’s personality was so astounding and its friendliness was something ordinary for domesticated animals such as dogs and cats, but definitely unexpected for seals! This just goes to show how enjoyable belly rubs must be for animals of all kinds.
Enjoying Its Belly Rub
Grayson must be an expert at rubbing bellies as the seal was excitedly flapping its flippers in what seemed like an attempt to commend the diver at how good the belly-rubbing was! It was such an adorable sight to see, and something you definitely won’t see every day.
Just like a normal dog on a normal day, this seal laid on its back for a while as it enjoyed the belly rub. That is, up until it swam up and became even more playful than he first was.
Diving Turned Into A Play Date
Once the pup had enough of the belly rubs, he swam back up and let Grayson rub and scratch its chin this time. This particular seal seemed to be a big fan of rubbing as he can be seen smiling on the video as he enjoyed Grayson’s scratches! It was enough to make anyone melt!
This made the seal even more playful than ever as it began nibbling away at Grayson’s diving suit some more, even having his hand in its mouth as some sort of playful gesture towards its new friends.
The Companion’s Turn
While the seal was biting Grayson’s hand, the concern on his face seemed apparent on the video as this gesture could also potentially be dangerous. However, the seal’s nibbles seemed gentle enough so he decided to just let it be as it only wanted to play.
The seal’s companion saw how much fun its friend was having so it decided that it was just about time for it to have some fun, too. So the second seal swam up to Grayson and began sniffing his feet.
Time To Go
As with anything else, this encounter had to come to an end. The first seal decided that it already had enough fun and games with its new friends, and swam away while its diver friend continued to scratch his coat–but not without a look of satisfaction and gratitude for the belly rubs it received from Grayson. The second seal followed suit and everyone knew that playtime was finally over.
The awestruck divers watched happily as their new friends swam away–this encounter definitely left smiles on their faces as it was so thrilling to have played with such friendly sea creatures like they never did before! This experience was definitely one for the books, but they never imagined how many people would share their awe with them once the video goes viral.
Going International
In no time, the video reached international audiences and various media outlets asked Grayson about this unique experience underwater. He told them that he was « absolutely loving » every moment of the encounter, albeit the nerve-wracking feeling he got during the first few minutes of it.
The 55-year-old businessman and diver told the Manchester Evening News: « I had seen other seals in the water but they just buzzed past us. None was as inquisitive as [this seal] was, and none as friendly. » It was a wonderful story to tell, and one that many viewers found absolutely adorable and heartwarming.
Exploring A Different World
The situation was not something that was easy to handle, so it was a blessing for Grayson and his friend to have dealt with it the right way, leading to such admirable results. « We were told just to sit on the bottom of the kelp but the more still we were the more inquisitive this seal was because we were in their world, » Grayson shared.
Grayson’s quick-thinking indeed helped them gain a favorable outcome of the situation as their stillness intrigued the seals, who were unsure of what their intentions were in the beginning.
An Experience Like No Other
While Grayson was an experienced diver, this experience at the Isles of Scilly that fateful day was like nothing he has ever encountered before in all his diving expeditions.
« The grey seal came across and had five minutes with me, kind of thing. Then another was climbing up my leg. I’m an experienced diver but I have never known anything like that. I’ve been all over the world, to Mexico and Cuba, to dive with great big mantras and sharks, » Grayson further shared.
An Adrenaline-Pumping Experience
The two divers were initially stunned to see the seals approaching them, but it was only because they never expected the sea creatures to come up and play with them. Grayson shares with M.E.N., « I’m not one to frighten easy. »
« If the truth be told, I’m a bit of an [adrenaline junkie]. Before that, I was into sky-diving, I had done aerobatics. I tend to live life on the edge. But this was certainly up there with anything I have ever done, » Grayson shared, pertaining to his experience.