“It was the encounter of a lifetime.”
Sometimes, timing is everything — and for one harbor seal off the coast of Washington State, that truth became a matter of survival.
Earlier this week, a desperate seal in Puget Sound found an unlikely refuge when he clambered aboard a boat belonging to Smith Siromaskul, his wife Terese Drummond, and their friend Charvet Drucker. The three wildlife photography enthusiasts had headed out that morning in hopes of spotting orcas — but instead, they found themselves witnessing an intense life-or-death chase.
“They were definitely chasing something,” Siromaskul told The Dodo. “Then we saw something get launched out of the water.”
That “something” was the seal — being tossed into the air as part of a hunting drill orchestrated by the adult orcas to teach younger members of the pod how to hunt.
For roughly 45 minutes, the trio watched in awe and anxiety as the orcas pursued the terrified animal.
“It’s amazing to see whales behave naturally,” Siromaskul said. “But at the same time, you can’t help but feel bad for the seal. We wanted to yell, ‘Come up here!’ but didn’t want to scare him away.”
As the chase wore on, the orcas began closing in. Then suddenly, the seal made a desperate sprint toward the photographers’ boat — and leapt aboard just in time.
“I was in absolute awe,” Drucker said. “Being surrounded by orcas while this exhausted seal looked at us for safety — it was surreal.”
Siromaskul immediately cut the boat’s engine to protect the nearby whales from the propeller.
“The orcas popped their heads up, watching us, watching him,” Siromaskul recalled. “The seal was looking at us, looking at the water — everyone was staring at everyone.”
Moments later, the seal lost his footing and slipped back into the sea — only to scramble back onto the boat again, then fall off, and climb aboard once more. The orcas responded with a clever tactic: moving in unison to create waves strong enough to dislodge him.
“They coordinated this movement to make a wave,” Siromaskul said. “It worked once, but the seal didn’t give up.”
Amazingly, on his third attempt, the determined little survivor managed to haul himself onto the back seat of the boat.
“He used his flippers to climb up the engine and eventually just sat there,” Siromaskul said. “Once he realized he was safe, he even leaned over the side, watching the water.”
The orcas lingered for nearly 20 minutes, circling beneath the vessel before finally swimming off.
“People asked if we were scared,” Drucker said. “But no — orcas are incredibly intelligent. They weren’t interested in us or the boat.”
After the chase ended, exhaustion took over. The seal curled up on the seat and fell fast asleep.
“Once the adrenaline wore off, he literally nodded off,” Siromaskul said, laughing. “Then we were left wondering what to do next. I couldn’t touch him or push him overboard.”
Siromaskul reached out to marine experts for advice. After receiving guidance, he started the engine and slowly made his way toward shore — while the seal continued to nap.
Eventually, the animal stirred, sniffed the air, and seemed to sense that it was finally safe.
“He woke up, looked around, and just slipped back into the water,” Siromaskul said.
The trio sat in silence, stunned by what they had just witnessed.
“It was one of the most incredible experiences I’ll ever have — truly the encounter of a lifetime,” Siromaskul said.
“You see things like this online, but never imagine it’ll happen to you,” Drucker added. “It was unforgettable — and I’m so grateful it ended the way it did.”
Thanks to a mix of luck, courage, and human kindness, one harbor seal got a second chance — and three photographers got a story (and video) they’ll never forget.