Seal Pup Steals The Show At Shanklin Café

(c) Lazy Wave Cafe and BDMLR

Staff and customers at a Shanklin café were treated to an unusual surprise this week when a young grey seal pup hauled himself up onto the deck and settled down for a nap.

The four-week-old pup, later nicknamed Elmer, appeared outside The Lazy Wave Café on Tuesday afternoon, leaving staff stunned.

Owner Rae Rawlins said she first learned of the visitor when her team sent her a photo with the message “got a problem”.

“Usually that means the coffee machine’s broken or the doughnut machine’s playing up,” Rae explained.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting to see a seal lying outside the café looking like he owned the place!”

Elmer, who weighed just 13kg instead of the 45kg expected for his age, was underweight, dehydrated and exhausted.

Staff kept him safe and ensured no one – especially dogs – got too close until help arrived.

Medics from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) quickly attended, and after an overnight stay at Carisbrooke Vets for round-the-clock care, Elmer was taken by ferry across the Solent to the RSPCA Mallydams rehabilitation centre near Hastings.

The young pup slept soundly for most of the crossing and will now spend the next couple of months regaining strength and “piling on the blubber” before being released back into the wild.

BDMLR praised the café staff for their quick actions and for not attempting to return the struggling pup to the sea.

Rae added:

“He seemed distressed and even let out what we could only describe as crying.

"The team did brilliantly to keep him safe until the experts arrived. I couldn’t be prouder of them. Big thanks to BDMLR for helping our unexpected seaside visitor.”

"The café later joked on social media that Elmer was “definitely our cutest customer yet.”