Seal of approval for coastal rowing club

COASTAL rowers in Portsoy have been getting the seal of approval from a friendly visitor to the local harbour.

A playful seal has been making regular visits to the Aberdeenshire town.

That has been an added bonus for members of the Portsoy Coastal Rowing Club during regular training trips out to the waters of the Moray Firth.

Wendy Clements, secretary of the club, has been photographing the seal.

She said: "Rebecca Hewitt, who works for Aberdeen University, but based in Cromarty and I study the seals over at Loch Fleet and she has found some info on him, based on the green tag 401 from the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews University.

"They collate all tagged seal info in the UK.

"This is a seal that has been rehabbed twice and probably why it appears so friendly.

"The second time was at a facility in Skegness."

Wendy is not sure where it was released back to the sea but has emailed the rehab facility to see if they can provide more details.

In the meantime, the rowers are having great fun meeting the seal most times they take to the water and judging by the photo he is having just as much fun getting to know them.