When I was younger, my parents would take us to Marine Land. It’s a fun aquarium-type park, a couple of hours away from home, where we could see some sea life and also go on roller coasters. Since the park was only open in the summertime, we would go on days that were rather hot so we can enjoy the outdoor splash pads as well. Most of the time, we would go to Marine Land during the week of two of my siblings’ birthdays, and there was a good reason for this decision.
At Marine Land, if it was your birthday (or close t0 it), you get kissed on the cheek by a dolphin. The friendly mammals would come up close and peck you on the cheek as a cutesy gift for your birthday. This was a regular occurrence for my brother and sister; I was usually left out because I’m a winter baby, boo!
As much as it would bug me to not be a part of that experience, I think I’ve moved on to bigger plans! Something similar to the man in the video below. I’d love to go underwater diving and get up close and personal with some of the animals. This diver did, and he was in for a treat of a lifetime.
Ben Burville is a doctor during the day and a skilled diver by the night. He’s been diving for 32 years and knows the ins and outs of the craft. Most recently, he experienced a dive of his life when he encountered a friendly grey seal who was more than welcoming.
The doctor was underwater, minding his own business when the seal rolls up behind him and pats him on the back. The animal wanted to simply get Ben’s attention. As Ben turned around, the seal wraps its flippers around him and takes the man into a tight hug. Ben wasn’t bothered by this at all, he took it as a rather welcoming gesture.
The underwater creature then proceeds to hold onto Ben’s hand as Ben goes about the rest of his dive. It looks like the seal has cracked a deal with Ben: he wants to be bffs and isn’t letting go until it’s time for the human to go back to shore.
Ben took this moment as a heartfelt gesture. He’s also surprised that the seal was so kind and gentle. While people normally associate animals to be protective in their habitats, this friendly seal was quite the opposite.
Click on the video below to catch the incident between Ben and his new friend. It’ll make you smile, that’s for sure!
