Pietie Boy - born free (posting from the road)

Disclaimer....I have no idea if this story is true. I have no reason not to believe it and I think more then that...I want to believe it.

In a small Harbour south of Cape Town, 35+ years ago there was a small oil spill. Small in the sense that, while still catastrophic to those effected, it wasn't the Exxon Valdez or BP Deep Horizon. The local fisherman and sailors worked feverishly to clean the area and in particular the sea birds now drenched in crude oil.

Most locals were too scared to attempt to clean off the small Cape Fur Seal colony that was effected - the seals are massive, skittish and I definitely saw teeth. But one fisherman, Piete (pronounced Pete), decided to take a chance. One by one, he cleaned the oil off and the seals, thankful for a chance for survival, were surprisingly compliant. One seal in particular was extremely thankful...an appreciation he shows to this day.

South Africa at the time this all occurred was not an ideal place for a young black man. Piete struggled working a difficult job for little money. He resided (and still does) in a small township (commonly referred to as a slum or shanty town in Western slang) near the harbour, working long hours to survive. Then a seal gave him a better life.

Piete befriended this young seal and treated him as if he were his own - naming him Pietie Boy. Pietie Boy returned time and time again to visit his friend, hopping out of the water and waddling ashore for a little pet down and a fishy treat. Discovering an untapped market, Piete and Pietie Boy became a local attraction. Tourists stop by while visiting this scenic coast and, for the price of a dollar, feed him a fish. The money supports Peite, who no longer works as a fisherman, and buys treats from local fisherman for Pietie Boy. After a few hours Pietie Boy returns to the water and his seal family. This has been happening for 37 years.

When I enquired about whether Pietie Boy came everyday, the answer seemed very...South African. "No, he comes when he wants. He is a wild seal and lives in the ocean. He was born free and never had a government who told him where he could or could not go. He comes to us because he makes the choice to visit." And I, who never thought I would get a chance to meet a huge Cape Fur Seal, am very glad he does...