Every picture on this website, with no exception, is taken from one place - our Dartmouth office garden
THE VIEW FROM THE DARTMOUTH OFFICE
Windo the Dartmouth seal
In May 2019 a yacht owner left their inflatable tender moored to a buoy anchored in front of us. Within a couple of days a seal, very quickly nicknamed Windo* took up residence. No outboard so it was easy for the exceptionaly wily Windo to overturn and give himself a comfortable bed every night. Windo was there most of the time the yacht was away. He became a star with lots of folk going to see him. Most kept a respectful distance and Windo seemed unperturbed. Pictures of him published in a few national newspapers and so he became a national (probably international) star. And all was well with the world. Until........some person decided that Windo didn't belong on his comfy bed.
It takes a special kind of brain to think like this, but there was one in town available. Apparently thought he was doing the yachtowner a favour.
The pix below then show the guy's second and subsequent attempts to knock Windo off his perch. Not difficult, the man was using a wooden boat with a fairly powerful engine. Windo wasn't taking this lying down. In no time he was back aboard and waited for the next impact. There was only ever going to be one winner. And it wasn't Dartmouth's contender for Brain of Britain. No, Windo won the game, set and match.
However, winning the championship was another thing entirely because the yacht and its owner finally returned> Windo no longer had a bed.
So he took up residence on another boat. A top chap is that Windo. Below you will find all the pictures that illustrate this little story. First of all you will see Windo and all his fans visiting him. Then the dastardly deed by the dastardly bloke. And finally Windo the winner back on his bed basking in the adulation he deserved. Well, at least until he had to move to another bed. * Windo the seal as in window sill.
I snapped the upturned dinghy simply because it was upturned. No sign of Windo yet.
But a few hours later I had a couple of calls from two different people alerting me to his presence.
He (could so easily be a she, how would I know?) seemed to be making himself very comfortable indeed.
His first visitors. Shame I couldn't get the pic sharp.
So you can see how close into shore he was.
This makes the position of his home just a bit more clearer. Windo is on the tiny dinghy visible just to the right of the pink chimney.
It is of course important for a seal-about-town to stay fit.
So it was time for some stretches.
Mind you, touching your toes ain't the easiest of moves for a seal.
So let's not push it too much, eh ?
It is so tiring. Yawn.
But coming soon, the Windo exercise video.
And...relax. And pose.
I suppose I had better get used to this.
Visitors soon came. Kayaks of them.
And more kayaks
Did I mention kayaks ?
Yep, and another. Windo took them all in his stride. Or repose
Not too close if you don't mind.
Windo would have made a fortune if he had started off charging for photograph. Not least of all from me.
A seal could get giddy watching the watchers.
The Castle Ferry (the best boat ride) guys soon changed their normal route to include Windo.
Usually the Castle ferries run down river in the the Dartmouth bank and upriver way over towards Kingswear. Until Windo beckoned a closer view both ways.
You would be forgiven for thinking young Windo might have been playing up for the cameras.
Compared to a seal's normal resting place, there was no argument, this was neither a rock nor a hard place.
They came in pairs to see Windo the Dartmouth seal.
And sometimes they came oblivious.
Just occasionally something startled him and he beat a hasty wet retreat.
Causing disappointment for some who rowed ALL the way out there (it really wasn't far)
When Windo returned he would simply hop back on. Although it seems that 'hop' required quite a bit of seal muscle power.
Windo seal never made it look easy. It probably wasn't.
There were times when it looked like he might slip back in the drink.
I know. Strange eh? Windo the seal appears to have legs. Short ones. But legs nonetheless.
Of course once Windo had expended all that energy getting back on the water bed. he was hungry again.
And there were probably lots of takeaways in the river.
No sooner fed and back on and.....
....peckish again.
Getting in was a whole lot easier than getting out.
Windo even managed it with an element of grace.
Which is not what could be said about the return.
There were times when he would fly up out of the water and skid straight acres the top and fall back in again (no, I didn't catch that for posterity.)
