March Madness Isn't Just for Basketball ... It's Also for Seals

March Madness is not just for basketball — it’s also high season for wintering seals in the Hamptons! Who can resist watching these playful “dogs of the sea”? There are several places on the East End where you can spot them. I’ll share some tips on where I’ve seen them over the years.

Seals are more likely to “haul out” on land during low tides, so you might want to plan your scouting adventure with this in mind.

Long Island has three types of seal visitors from November to May: Harbor seals comprise 95 percent of the Long Island wintering seal population, gray seals are about 4 percent, and harp seals are the last 1 percent. I’ve never seen a harp seal as long as I’ve lived here, but I stumbled upon a gray seal pup resting on Mecox Beach last year.

But, first, there are some guidelines to follow when observing seals.

The No. 1 and most important rule is to keep your distance. Stay at least 150 feet away from any seal or seal pod. As with any other type of wildlife, you should not do anything to affect or cause an animal to alter its normal behavior. In the case of a seal on land, leave it alone.

On a few occasions, I’ve encountered a lone seal on the beach during a walk, and it’s essential to keep a wide berth and allow the seal to rest. More than likely, the seal is just fine and taking a well-needed break.

Cupsogue Beach County Park in Westhampton Beach is a favorite spot for viewing large pods of seals. They can usually be seen resting on sandbars and nearby rocks. I visited Cupsogue a few times this month and needed binoculars to see them in the distance. On a recent visit, there were about 40 seals hauled out on the sandbar in the middle of the bay. A few seals were putting on a show by playfully jumping out of the water, similar to how a whale would do.

Believe it or not, if you hang around Shinnecock East County Park in Southampton Village, you will likely see a seal casually swimming by the parking lot area. They are quite common right now, and you do not need binoculars, as they are pretty close to shore.

Seals are quite engaging as they watch you on the shore. Walk along the jetties and you may see one resting on the jetty or shore. They blend in well with the jetties, so look closely!

Montauk State Park has a trail appropriately called “Seal Haul Out.” You can park on Camp Hero Road, walk across Route 27, and access the marked trail entrance. This is a delightful 1.6-mile round-trip hike through the woods to the designated spot to view seals.

There’s a small sheltered structure with posted signs along the ocean viewing area describing the types of seals you may see here. Several large boulders at the water’s edge are where the seals may haul out. You will have a spectacular view of the seals from this point.

A word of advice: Plan to sit there for a little while, because it’s somewhat fluid when a seal or two pops out of the water and makes its way up to rest on one of the boulders. This is my favorite spot, since they are so close for viewing.

According to the Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island website, year over year, the month of March affords the best opportunity to see large pods of harbor seals at Cupsogue. CRESLI offers seal walks and cruises and is the utmost authority for Long Island seals.

Therefore, I hope you get out there and participate in March Madness for Seals!