A heartwarming encounter unfolded off the coast of San Diego as a seal pup joined a group of surfers, even hitching a ride on their boards. The adorable scene, captured on drone footage, shows the pup seemingly basking in the sun and enjoying the waves with its new human companions.
One surfer, expressing their joy on Instagram, described the experience as "the most beautiful thing that has ever happened." The encounter took place last Saturday off Tourmaline Beach, located north of San Diego.
Concerned for the pup's well-being, the surfers contacted SeaWorld. A team was dispatched to assess the situation. "It appeared healthy and was in the water when the team went out to evaluate," explained SeaWorld official Tracy Rahr to NBC San Diego. "There was no need to intervene as the pup also appeared old enough to care for itself."
While some speculated that the pup's mother might have perished, SeaWorld reported no such incidents. It's worth noting that seal pups are known to be naturally sociable and may approach humans, and mothers will often leave their young temporarily while hunting, according to previous reports from CBS News.
