Surfing seals steal the spotlight in Dungarvan

Two seals rest on a surfboard off Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland. The seals have become a tourist draw and social media sensation for the town.The "surfing seals" are regularly spotted around Dungarvan Harbour, but most famously when atop a paddleboard fixed in the River Colligan.The colony is said to consist of around nine seals, but they are usually seen “surfing” in groups of two or three.It is said a local resident placed the surfboard in the river around 15 years ago but in 2023 the board became unmoored and floated out to sea.It was found and returned by a local fisherman, and the board was cleaned before its replacement in the river, removing the seals’ scent.It was nine months before they were seen on the board again but now the seals are back and riding the waves once more.