Awesome story, Brian. You could have (and did!) fooled me about not being outgoing!

As for the seals, I have my own story, about seeing Weddell seals near McMurdo Station, Antarctica. They weigh about 2000 lbs when mature.

I caught about a bazillion photos of one who'd dived for 20 minutes to catch a snack - a 100-lbs Antarctic Toothfish, that we know in restaurants as "Chilean Sea Bass." The seal chomped on the fish while keeping almost entirely underwater. He just kept one nostril above the freezing water so he could breath while eating.