South Shields ferry passengers spot seal sunbathing on jetty

The small grey seal was discovered early this morning (April 25) near the North Shields landing by the Ferry crew on the first Tyne crossing of the day.

The seal was happily relaxing, out of the water, resting on a parapet by the jetty where the Ferry docks.

Customers and crew have been thrilled by the little seal and have been eagerly snapping photos and videos on their phones.

Joe Avary, a Second Mate on the Shields Ferry crew, was among the first people to spot the seal this morning.

He said: “We were on our first crossing of the day when we saw him. He’s really cute and he looks super chilled.

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“He’s just been lying there on the sea wall relaxing all morning, and we think he will be heading off once the tide comes back in. If not, then we will call some animal welfare experts to make sure he’s okay.

“The customers have been delighted to see him, as have all of the ferry crew. We often spot seals in the river, down near the North Shields landing, when their heads pop up for a few seconds, but we’ve never seen one right out of the water before.

“You can tell he’s a juvenile seal. He’s still got some fur and he’s got a lot of personality. It’s a wonderful sight and we are keeping a close eye on him to ensure that he’s not in any distress.”