Bubbly seal calls in at Iron Pot in Hawke's Bay

This seal appeared at the Iron Pot wharf in Napier and appeared to respond to a call for it to "come here". PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The first time Napier woman Halie Mcale saw a seal at close range was at the Marineland and that was 16 years ago.

That was also the last time she saw one up close.

So arriving at the Iron Pot wharf to help her partner work on their trawler nets on Wednesday morning provided a cute and colourful maritime treat.

A frisky little seal had decided to take time out in the calm waters of the Iron Pot and was happy to play with a fish she threw to it.

"He was really happy and looked pretty healthy — it was really neat to see it so close," she said, adding that while she had seen whales and dolphins in their natural habitat it was the first time she had spotted a seal.

And so close.

To her delight when she called out "come here seal" the little visitor swam closer and was clearly taking in his surroundings.

But she left it at that and said she did not try to touch it, despite it coming so near.

Which is the advice the Department of Conservation give out, especially at this time of the year when the seals tend to head for the shoreline waters and even onto the land.

DoC East Coast operations manager John Lucas said while it was not unusual to see seals at this time of the year they were more commonly spotted from August to November — the time when newly-weaned fur seal pups and juveniles headed to shore to rest up.

The Iron Pot arrival appeared perfectly happy to stay in the waters rather than scramble ashore the nearby rocks.

Winter was effectively a time for rest and recuperation.

Spotting them on beaches or even wandering inland would occur, and DoC took a hands-off approach — leaving them to make their way on their own, unless there were signs they had been injured or tangled in marine debris.

DoC has an emergency hotline 0800 362 468 for people to call if they came upon a seal in serious distress.

But the latest visitor to the popular Ahuriri seafront was clearly happy and content — and delighted to have a fish to play with.

Macale said several people had stopped along the wharfside to watch the mid-winter swimmer frolicking.

"(It's) Just neat to see."