Abstract: An seal is described for a turbine with a first sealing surface mounted on a stationary part of a turbine and a second sealing surface mounted on a rotating part of the turbine, the surfaces being structured such that in operation the thin film of a fluid medium is generated between the two surfaces reducing contact and/or leakage with at least one of the first or second sealing surface mounted such that it is subject to a retracting force which opens the seal while stationary or at slow rotation speeds of the turbine and subject to a force counteracting the retracting force at operational rotation speeds of the turbine. The surface of the sealing face may incorporate patterns straight or helical in nature to help induce the fluid into the gap and maintain the fluid film.