The animal had clambered aboard the raft on the River Orwell, near Woolverstone, Suffolk.

And it looked ship shape as it happily soaked up some sunshine sprawled across the inflatable’s side.

Luckily for fellow boaters, the unlicensed captain wasn’t going anywhere — the dinghy was tied to a nearby buoy.

Flip me … sailors spotted seal lazing on inflatable

June Deaton, 66, from Spalding, Lincs, took the snap during a trip on her son’s boat last Sunday.

“We did not go too close at first as we thought we might scare it away. We shouted out to people on the river bank and a crowd built up.

“It was such a lovely sunny day. Far from being afraid, it seemed to be enjoying the sunshine and put on quite a show.

“My daughter-in-law has been sailing for many years and said she has never seen anything like this before.”