On the remote Welsh isle of Skomer, three miles from the Pembrokeshire mainland, a bull seal discovered a wonderful resting place. It was an inflatable bed — just for him! — rocking pleasantly in the ocean water. So he heaved his heft upon the floating, plastic cloud and decided to stay awhile.
Thus, a pair of newlyweds were trapped. For four days, as the bull seal lazed on their inflatable dinghy, Eddie Stebbings and Bee Bueche were stuck. Sent perhaps by a prankster bridesmaid or a devious ex-boyfriend, or by eager would-be grandparents aiming to push the newlyweds into some alone time, the seal specialized in going nowhere fast.
Since marrying in August, the couple has lived on the island working as wildlife wardens. They're primarily observing and assisting the seals' pup season. But fascinated as they are with the pinnipeds, this intractable bull was not so amusing. Stebbings reports:
It refused to budge for four days and was at one point joined by another seal. He was about four times my weight, eight foot long and clearly not worried about people coming close to him.
Perhaps he just wanted them to come join his floating boat party, while he rested his slippery form on a bed so cushy and soft.
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seals
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