Seal spotted at Shubie Park to the delight of visitors

An ocean seal that likely made its way inland through the Shubenacadie canal system has surprised visitors to Shubie Park in Dartmouth over the last two weekends.

Dave Manuel, who owns Kaynoe Rentals near the park's largest pond, first spotted the seal on June 14. Soon after taking some pictures and video of the surprise visitor, Manuel said the seal made its way towards Lake Charles and didn't return.

He said he thought it was a one-time sighting, until the seal returned this past weekend. Manuel then asked his daughter to take a kayak for a closer look.

"The thing came right up, popped up beside her and then she felt it graze the side of the boat as it went right up alongside her," he said. 

Andrew Reid of the Marine Animal Rescue Society said a seal making its way inland isn't that rare as they sometimes pursue fish into freshwater lakes.

"We do occasionally get seals that can make their way inland, usually following rivers and streams," Reid said, adding there have been a number of seal sightings near Grand Lake this year.

Reid said there's sometimes a risk a seal may have a hard time making its way back to the ocean, but Shubie Park visitors needn't worry.

"If it was getting later in the year, towards the winter where the lake is eventually going to freeze over and if they still haven't made their way back to the ocean at that point, then we might try to get to the seal while it's on land and move it back to the ocean at that point."