When a wild animal approaches someone while they’re enjoying time in nature, the typical advice is to avoid interacting with them and respect that humans are visitors in their space. But what if they are extremely friendly and determined to say hi?
That’s exactly what happened to Daren Ford and Kerrie Rocket when they were hanging out on paddleboards in West Sussex, England, one day. They had no idea they were being followed by a curious seal – until he plopped himself on a board and joined them for a ride!
Apparently, the little guy is well-known in the area where Daren and Kerrie were. In fact, he’s so popular that he’s even been given a name: Gavin.
Since Kerrie and Daren had never come across Gavin before, they were a little scared when he first hopped on Daren’s board. In a video of the epic encounter, Daren jokingly says, “If he bites my toe I’m jumping in.”
Of course, Gavin wasn’t trying to hurt anyone! He just lounged around with Daren until he decided it was time to try Kerrie’s board instead. Without any hesitation, the adorable seal slipped into the water and helped himself to a new seat. And he just kept going!
“To our amazement, the seal just started going from one board to another, jumping on and relaxing,” Kerrie said.
None of the humans knew quite what to do until they had some time to process the encounter. “It was an amazing experience, but it never really sank in until we got home and realized how rare this actually happens,” she added.
What a lucky group! We’re so glad they got to see the wonder that is Gavin and ended up sharing it with the world!
Watch the amiable seal get cozy with his new friends in the video below, and be sure to share this story to make someone smile.
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