What ensues is simply magical. Intrigued by Andy’s gentle music, the inquisitive seals gather around, diving with dramatic splashes before surfacing with a snort. Looking down through the clear-bottomed kayak, I can see one underneath me, blowing silvery bubbles through his nose and then trying to catch them in his teeth as, trapped against the craft, they move around like liquid mercury. And all the while, seals still on the rocks seem to sing in response to Andy’s flute.
Our plan had been to discover lonely sea caves and secret beaches, but the seals prove too compelling. When they tire of us and head back to their haul-outs, we paddle on to the Calf of Man and go for a barefoot stroll, enjoying the sensation of cool grass and sunshine-warmed pebbles underfoot. I feel very in-the-moment, which Andy reckons is no surprise. “Time spent in nature is good for the soul,” he says. “It really charges our batteries.”
The interaction leaves me hungry for further animal encounters, so for my final day on the island I book a wildlife-themed coastal cruise. According to the leaflet, we might spot anything from porpoises and puffins to basking sharks. But will our luck be in? Like much else on the Isle of Man, that’ll most likely be down to Manannan.