Sat March 24

Sunday March 18, 2018 Seal Cruise of the Viking Super Star
If you ever wanted to see nearly 400 grey seals and 100 harbors, come with us to the outer islands of eastern Long Island Sound.

Passengers, research volunteers, and crew bundled up against the cold and NNW wind and were treated to sites that very few people have seen up close. We visited the coasts of Plum Island, Great Gull Island and Little Gull Island and were able to see the array and density of seals that we would see nowhere else.  The leeward side of Plum Island, was home to about 100 harbor seals scattered along the rocks, and in the water.  Great Gull and Little Gull Islands are the home to a confirmed grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) rookery. While we only saw about 70 grey seals on Great Gull, we encountered over 350 on little Gull Island.  In an area of about 100 square yards on the leeward side of Little Gull, we found 296 grey seals packed together on shore. Males, females, and some of this year’s pups were huddled together.  On the windward side, we found an additional 56 grey seals hauled out above the water line. An amazing site.

Check out the photos at https://drartiek-cresli.smugmug.com/Pinnipeds/CRESLI-Viking-Seal-Cruise-2018-03-18/ and make reservations at https://vikingfleet.com/activities/seal-watching-tours/