Beaver - seal - dog ???

[Marauder]

Hi Everyone,
Well, this is weird, Wednesday about 9am my hubby and I saw something swimming about 150 ft from shore, he thought it was a beaver and so did I then I thought no way - a dog, but then it dove. We are in Meredith Bay opposite Grouse Point. Never have I seen anything with a smooth wake so LARGE swimming on a calm morning that with binoculars we could not figure out what it was. Has anybody seen anything unsusal like this?
Thanks!!:confused:

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Hi Everyone,
Well, this is weird, Wednesday about 9am my hubby and I saw something swimming about 150 ft from shore, he thought it was a beaver and so did I then I thought no way - a dog, but then it dove. We are in Meredith Bay opposite Grouse Point. Never have I seen anything with a smooth wake so LARGE swimming on a calm morning that with binoculars we could not figure out what it was. Has anybody seen anything unsusal like this?
Thanks!!:confused: It could have been an otter. If it was smaller it may have been a mink.

[Lakesrider]

Little did you know there is a seal dog....

Mexican Seal Dog.....

http://www.ljmolineux.com/pets/navy-seal-dog2.jpg

Invasive species...if you catch my drift.....:eek:

[Dog's Ear]

Could it have been a Fisher Cat? We had one on Whortleberry Island earlier this year. I was up early and out on the deck. I heard a very loud splash as something jumped in the water. ( I actually thought it could have been a deer, that is how big the splash was). When I checked it out I saw this fisher cat which was pretty big. It swam across toward Moultonborough Neck. Their head is a weird shape.

[NoBozo]

Lucky this sighting wasn't near Rattlesnake..what with winter coming up and all....:D NB

[Marauder]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for your responses (some funny), it was too small to have been a mink, and it did slide very easily in the water and then dove, not to be seen by us again.:)

[SteveA]

the video isn't great at first, but about 20 seconds in it clears up.

These are "river otters' (according to the video title) at Lake Holland, Montana.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4560111468395132837#

[Airedale1]

Maybe a Muskrat?

First image was taken at Meredith Bay and second at Back Bay in Wolfeboro.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/muskrat3-1.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/muskrat5.jpg

[GTO]

Hi Everyone,
Well, this is weird, Wednesday about 9am my hubby and I saw something swimming about 150 ft from shore, he thought it was a beaver and so did I then I thought no way - a dog, but then it dove. We are in Meredith Bay opposite Grouse Point. Never have I seen anything with a smooth wake so LARGE swimming on a calm morning that with binoculars we could not figure out what it was. Has anybody seen anything unsusal like this?
Thanks!!:confused:

Why rule out a beaver? I've seen some big ones in the lake before. When spooked, they slap their tail on the surface and dive

[NH_boater]

I fished virtually everyday in Alton Bay through the summer. I would see the same otter 5 to 6 days a week. I was out there daily at 5 to 6 am, in a kayak and a fly rod, which is nearly silent. He always came down the bay, dove under or near me, and then headed up the Merrymeeting. There were days where he got to within a few feet of me before he dove. He could have easily avoided me but I think he got comfortable after so many encounters. He is a pretty big otter from my estimation; maybe the size of a small to medium size dog.

Not sure if you saw an otter or not but your description of him and wake seem consistent. First time a saw him, by the way, I thought he was a dog until he got closer.

[Argie's Wife]

There's a lot of otters around here... we have a small stream that runs on two borders of our property and into Merry Meeting River. I've found otter tracks in the early spring, when the snow is still on the ground. Otter aren't that small... they can run between 25-40" long.

http://www.nhfishandwildlife.com/weasels.php

[Grant]

We have had an establish a "latrine" in our boathouse each year. I've missed it by minutes a few times. The biggest clue is the ample scat and greasy discharge it leaves all over the decking. It loves to poop on top of an 8x8 beam I use to prop canoe, etc., during the winter. This year, I hadn't after opening up in May until late September, when he decided it time to return. He's been with us for about five years now. He/she is very stealthy, and so has been dubbed "Ninja Otter." I even named a homebrewed IPA after it.

[ApS]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for your responses (some funny), it was too small to have been a mink, and it did slide very easily in the water and then dove, not to be seen by us again.:)
When diving from a swimming position, Otters will first raise up prominently in their middle. (Beavers less-so.)

Sometimes Beavers will dive with a very loud slap, as previously stated. As to size, those two could be confused. (Binoculars tend to make the object bigger "in Mind" as well as "to the eye".)

I've only seen one mink near the water's edge. He ran downhill to the shoreline—ignored my presence—hopped up to a rock, dove, and swam off underwater. :confused: This particular mink was no bigger than a young red squirrel.

I wrote here about the first muskrats I've seen (ever) last Spring: Except that the lake was very calm, I would have missed these two muskrats. Their "mewing" vocalizations weren't obvious, and would have been missed altogether had there been any wind.

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7613

[Grant]

Beavers dive. When startled, they'll slap their big, flat tail on the surface as they dive & make a noise.

[Marauder]

Maybe a Muskrat?

First image was taken at Meredith Bay and second at Back Bay in Wolfeboro.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/muskrat3-1.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/muskrat5.jpg

I THINK THAT'S IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!

[dpg]

it was too small to have been a mink

To small to be a Mink but you thought it was a dog? I may be mistaken but aren't Minks rather small (some squirrel sized?)

[AkwaMarina]

NH Nessie
http://gizmodo.com/#!5765192/kayaker-takes-best-ever-shot-of-english-sea-monster-using-cellphone

[Coolbreeze]

...nice beaver

[lake king]

maybe its a sea lion