I was fishing off a point with two guys in the boat one evening last week when I saw some commotion in the water, approximately twenty feet off-shore. The tide was low, the sun was setting, and I was trying to make out if what I saw was a rock in the surf or something else. I pushed my face forward, squinting to see if I could make out what was going on. It only took a few seconds to realize I was looking at three otters playing in the surf. They were rolling and kicking up water. I stood up, pointed, and called them out for my companions. We watched them rough-housing for a minute and then saw them hurry out of the water and lope along the shoreline in front of us. They quickly turned and ran away from the water as if to head into the tree-line above the beach.
They stopped short, however, and turned in front of an old log to look back. They seemed to be looking right at me and I wondered if I had invaded their safe zone. Had I pushed them up on the beach by getting too close? I was a good forty yards off-shore and didn't think I was too close but they looked agitated, stepping sideways, back and forth, like they wanted to come back to the water but I was in the way.
I was thinking I might back the boat out a bit further and give them some room when the real reason for their anxiety materialized in the water between us. A seal's head poked up and he was looking directly at the otters. They were looking intently back at him.
I realized then what was going on. Harbor Seals are known to enjoy a tasty otter snack from time to time and these three little guys weren't inclined to oblige him. They turned and ran into the trees, disappearing from sight and far out of reach of pesky seals.
I score that one: Otters 1, Seals 0
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