Seal of approval! Cheeky seal clambers onto a paddle board and hitches a ride during lesson on a Lincolnshire river
- Phil May, 39, was giving a paddle boarding lesson on the River Witham in Boston
- Despite being more than two miles from the sea and in fresh water, he saw a seal
- The seal clambered aboard his pupil’s paddle board, much to everyone’s mirth
- Mr May said in nine years of paddle boarding this was the first time he saw a seal
This is the surprising moment a seal forced his way onto a paddle board in the middle of a lesson – in a river.
The drama happened on the freshwater section of the River Witham in Boston, some two miles from the coast.
Paddle board instructor Phil May, 39, who filmed the encounter, said it was very unusual to see a seal so far from the sea.
He added that it was the first time he had spotted one on that stretch of river.
A paddleboarder was stunned when a seal jumped on her board in Boston, Lincolnshire
The sea l decided to take a rest on the inflatable board during the woman’s lesson
Remarkably, the incident happened more than two miles inland from the coast
His footage shows the seal, who was later identified as one named Dandie Dinmont, hauling itself on to the back of a woman participant’s board, and staying there for several minutes as she paddles along.
Mr May said: ‘We were paddling along the River Witham in Boston, Lincolnshire and the seal hauled itself up on to the board.
He added: ‘I have been paddle boarding for nine years and an instructor for three. There have been rumours of there being a seal in there for a few months but I have never seen one.
‘I’ve been paddling the same stretch of river for three years and I’ve never seen one.
‘This was very much a first for me as you can hear in my voice in the video I was really excited.’
‘I have tracked the Seal with the help of the staff from Natureland in Skegness and the seals name is Dandie Dinmont and it was released back in to The Wash by the RSPCA at East Winch.
Phil May, 39, who was giving the lesson said it was the first time in nine years