Bloubergstrand surfer faces seal attack amid rabies warnings

Bloubergstrand resident Hjalmar Larsen, 47, had a terrifying encounter with a seal while surfing last week, suffering multiple bite wounds to his hands, arms and legs.

The incident occurred about 50 metres from the lifeguard tower at Big Works.

According to a post on social media, Mr Larsen said he had just paddled out when he noticed a seal playing in the water further out on Sunday, November 16.

“At one point, the seal lifted its head and stared directly at me before diving underwater and launching an attack,” he said.

Due to the slightly murky water, Mr Larsen said he did not see the seal approach. It suddenly surfaced beneath him and bit his leg. He tried to use his surfboard as a barrier, but the seal returned repeatedly. “I immediately recognised it as a seal because of other recent attacks in the area,” he said.

He managed to paddle back to shore and ran to the lifeguards, who cleaned and dressed his wounds before he drove himself to Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital. 

As a precaution, he received anti-rabies injections, which he described as painful because every wound, even small scrapes, must be treated. 

Mr Larsen still has three sessions to complete. 

Mr Larsen described the experience as terrifying: “I never expected to be attacked like that in the water.”

The attack comes amid government warnings about high-risk rabies areas in the country.

The disease has been detected in dogs, Cape fur seals, and other mammals, according to a statement issued on Wednesday, November 12, by the Department of Agriculture.

The statement confirmed that rabies is now endemic in the Cape fur seal population, with several recent cases along the coastline of the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape, up to Algoa Bay.

Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute, said emergency services handled the situation, and the Department of Environment is investigating. There have been no reports of other recent incidents."

Marine experts have previously warned that seals can become aggressive during breeding season and have urged the public to keep a safe distance, said Mr Lambinon.

The incident sparked reactions on social media, with comments ranging from humorous to cautionary. One user wrote: “We are guests in their habitat. If it's the breeding season, perhaps we should respect that!” 

Another quipped: “Why are people feeling sorry for the surfer? You don’t exactly see seals skateboarding down our hills, do you?”