We rowed up to a seal in the harbor. We must have been quiet, he was facing the other way and didn't notice us gliding toward him. I had plenty of time to get the camera but expected him to sound in a moment. He didn't.

We got within a few feet and he slowly turned around to face us, no more than an oars length away.

Then his eyes went wide in astonishment(huge!), head cocked back, whiskers went straight, and he was frozen there for a few moments.

What a sight(what a picture!)! Then he dove,... and I thought of the camera.