Whelping time in Muscongus Bay

Mother seal and pup

Spring is in full swing in Maine. A neighbor invited us out to see the seals with their pups in Muscongus Bay, the chunk of the Atlantic that touches Friendship. Quite a number of them were sunning on a warm day, on the rock ledges that only show themselves when the tide goes out. A number of pups were visible in the group. They were reluctant to get into the cold salt water, but their parents urged them on as we approached.

I suspect that there are few predators in the area that might threaten them, so this is probably a good mating ground.
Basking in the sun

We met this neighbor as we took a morning walk down to the ocean. He was working on his sailboat, had his runabout tied up at the dock, and was looking for a break. Lucky us.