General Information about Seal Walks:
CRESLI seal walks will take place between November and May.
Please note that weather will play a significant role in
determining the seal walk schedule. Please call
CRESLI at (631) 244-3352 for schedule changes and
cancellations. The walks are approximately
1.2 miles round trip and take about 1 to 2
hours. These walks are suitable for children.
Please be prepared for the weather, i.e., wear warm clothing
(outerwear should be in muted colors) in layers. Hats, gloves, warm
waterproof shoes, and water are also recommended, as are cameras and
binoculars. For those without waterproof shoes, an additional dry pair of
shoes and socks (for the ride home) would be beneficial.Check the weather for Westhampton Beach and assume that the winds
will produce wind chill. It’s better to be a more-on, than a less-on, i.e.,
having more layers than you need is the right thing.
You must
register
for any CRESLI seal walks.
Registration will enable us to contact you regarding changes
and/or cancellations.
This season CRESLI is once again offering seal season passes that
will allow the holder unlimited seal walks! We are offering
three levels: Grey, Harp and Harbor Seal
Pinniped Passes.
Grey Seal Pinniped Pass ($65) is for a family up to
6 people
Harp Seal Pinniped Pass ($50) is for up to 4 people
Harbor Seal Pinniped Pass ($30) is for up to two
people.
Each pass lasts the whole seal season and can be used an
unlimited number of times.
This is an inexpensive and easy way to see Long Island’s
seals all season.
All you need to do is go to our website and register. We
will send you a laminated card that you will need to bring
to each seal walk for which you have made a reservation.
Considering that we have 27
scheduled seal walks and ask each person for $5. This is a
REAL bargain!
Please
note that seal walks for groups of 10-50 (school
groups, scouts, etc.) have to be scheduled
separately and can be scheduled on dates other than
those listed. Please send an e-mail with your
requests, by clicking on this link to
Dr. A. Kopelman
About 12 harbor seals swimming near the haul-out site at
Cupsogue around 9:00 AM, the water level was extremely high
nearly 2 hours before dead low tide. At 11:00 AM about 20
seals were present, by 11:25 as we were leaving, 22
hauled out on the barely accessible sand bar and 3 were
swimming.
during an early research trip, at 10:30 there were 12 harbor
seals swimming and none hauled-out; at 11:04, 40
hauled out. Returned at 12:40 with the seal
walk group, but none were hauled out; just about 18 swimming
around.
Today, a calmer and warmer day at
Cupsogue Beach brought out lots of folks in addition to
those with CRESLI to view the seals. Unfortunately, the
other people had inadvertently disturbed the seals, as did
aircraft. At 8:30, about 20 seals were swimming and
none hauled-out.
At 11:30, once
again about 20 were swimming. By 12:05 PM 11 had hauled-out
and another 11 were in the water.
photos
Video
Saturday, April 20, 2013
8:30 AM
42 harbor seals
About 35 harbor seals at 7:50 AM (30 hauled-out; 5
in water) during research observation.
returned at
9:15 with the seal walk group, there were 42 harbor seals
hauled out.
photos
Sunday, April 21, 2013
9:00 AM
45 harbor seals
At 7:49, there were 45 harbor seals hauled-out at
Cupsogue during the early research trip. 10 minutes later,
and all had been flushed from the sandbar.
At 9:40,
the group of CRESLI seal walk participants caught a distant
glimpse of 30 seals hauled-out, and we watched them all
return to the water. Eventually, at the observation site,
about 15 seals were observed hauling-out
CRESLI seal walks
at Cupsogue Beach County Park (at the
western end of Dune Road in Westhampton Beach) will
depart from area near the fence at
the western end of the parking lot. The
walks are approximately
1.2
miles round trip and take about 1.5-2
hours. Meeting times are 15 minutes prior to departure.
These walks are suitable for children.
PLEASE! PLEASE! All of us involved in monitoring the seals
on Long Island would prefer that you view the
seals in a supervised naturalist led walk. If too many people
continue to disturb the haul out zone, the seals may abandon it in the
future. REMEMBER, DO NOT COME WITHIN 70 YARDS OF THE HAUL OUT
ZONE WHEN SEALS ARE HAULED OUT and DO NOT GO DOWN TO THE
SHORE.
Please
note that seal walks for groups of 10-50 (school
groups, scouts, etc.) have to be scheduled
separately and can be scheduled on dates other than
those listed. Please send an e-mail with your
requests, by clicking on this link to
