Seal Swims Up To Baffled Diver And Grabs His Hand

Jul 06, 2020 by apost team

Gary Grayson was enjoying a tropical dive when a friendly seal decided to swim up to him. However, it wasn't enough to simply make contact. The seal also wanted belly rubs!

Grayson, 55, was diving with a group of friends during a vacation to the Isle of Scilly. He'd spent most of the day filming his companions with an underwater camera, and he'd captured them swimming with dolphins, crocodiles, and even sharks.

When they saw the seals, Grayson decided to let his buddies do the filming for a bit. He handed over his camera and watched as the seals swam in curious circles around him. Imagine his surprise when one brave little creature approached him directly!

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The seal rubbed his head along Grayson's arm like a puppy demanding attention. Surprised, Grayson started to stroke along his body, and the seal responded enthusiastically. Not only did he enjoy the petting of his face and whiskers, but he twisted around and presented his underside so that Grayson could give him a belly rub!

This was a remarkable display of trust for a wild seal, and it was even rarer to have it caught on camera. Grayson's friends were able to film several minutes of affectionate nuzzling before the seal swam away. 

He probably didn't expect the footage to go viral, but people just couldn't resist the cuteness. It was liked and shared more than 3,600 times on Facebook alone, and that doesn't include all of the re-uploads on sites like Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube.

What do you think? Are you overcome with the sudden urge to go diving off the coast of England? Have you always known that seals are fun, gentle creatures? Let us know in the comments and be sure to spread the word about this adorable interaction!