About The Seals - Westport Cruises | Explore Clew Bay | Seal Watching

The elusive Harbour Seal is common sight in Clew Bay. We cruise through their habitat and spend time seal spotting.

About 30 minutes after we depart Westport Harbour we arrive at the seal colony. With a estimated popuation of 121 ( Aug. 2010 ) and growing, there'll be many to see.

The seals are visible all season from May - October . The "peak " season for seal spotting are the months on June, July & August. During these months they come ashore to give birth and to moult ( shed their fur ).

During the month of June the seals give birth and mate again. Pups are capable of swimming within a few hours of being born and remain with their mother for 4-6 weeks.

It's also know as a common seal. Males are known as bulls. Females are known as cows. They can measure upto 2m and weigh up to 150kg. Their body is a rounded torpedo shape covered in fur. They shed their coat once a year. They vary in colour from white or silver grey with dark spots to black or drak brown with white rings. Each of their four flippers has five webbed digits. They can reach speed of up to 25 knots swimming.