Paddled around seal island of Hillarys today. Kept my distance of the island to ensure I did not upset the seals escpecialy the huge bull when a large female popped up next to me. She kept circling me and diving under my board. When she kept closer and did not leave I decided to head back to the beach. She still did not leave and kept following me. Just checked on the net and a few reports of people being bitten by the seals of sorrento and apparently seal bites can cause hectic disease. Last time I am paddling out there on a 9ft board.

I recall as a 15yo grommet me and my buddies paddling out to the island on my shortboard to surf the break behind it. On a few occasions we got harrassed by the monster seals and had to paddle real wide of the island. When we were older we used a tinny and no dramas. I am talking 30 years ago here and I have heard now a few nasty grey suits frequent the area. You just don't correlate seals and sharks as a grommie. It's all about getting a wave!

I got knocked off my board while windsurfing there about 15 years ago. Huge seal. Crapped myself. Still get the feeling that it didnt nail me on purpose but was being chased by something else. Was going along at full tilt and hit my board, and fortunately not me.

Have SUPd it once or twice, but usually to many surfers. Havent seen seals there for a while. Thought they had all been eaten! Used to be heaps. Better, more isolated reefs around.

Saw a 'shape' out there today about a k downwind of where you're talking about, I was very careful with my gybe!

Relieved to know that it might have only been a seal

Just what I was thinking greenie. As for surfing/supping out there "by yourself" unless you feel lonely in a crowd of 40, I don't think that's going to be a problem.

Hey, we cant all be tough, macho "legends"!

Hi Guys,

Little Island, aka Seal Island, is a great wave when it's "ON". I've had some wicked surf sessions on my short board as well as mini mal sessions, kiting sessions and will now also haunt it as my local SUP wave.

It is heavily effected by wind and on weekends can be crowded by surfers, but mid week it's normally deserted.

There is one or two XXL grey suits that frequent the area at this time of year because of the seals, but I wouldn't let that stop you SUPing the wave. With the exception of the bull, the cows are usually inquisitive and friendly.

I stopped into the shallows to adjust a footstrap a year ago and dropped my kite into the drink whist doing so. A friendly light gray pointy thing with a large black eye appeared two feet to my left in the corner of my eye. I shat myself there and then but continued my session, the seal played around and then lost interest.

It's a great wave in a big swell with a good right and a left. See ya out there!

DM

Mmm.... not game to paddle it again on a 9ft SUP but going to kite it on a SE'er, it's a long swim/paddle in if anything goes wrong and I bet I know what you would be thinking about on the way.
Good luck.

On the subject of seals, today and on the last two kite sessions at Mullaloo, (not that far from the island in question for those that don't know the area) there has been seals right in around the shore break and recently some turtles. I have kited/surfed/SUPed there a lot over the last few years and don't remember seeing so much activity so close to shore.

I've been diving out there a few times to see the seals close up. We stopped doing this after seeing a fu*ing large fin in the water about 5 mins after we surfaced. We were actually wondering if we had scared the seals off :)