DB Post Friday December 5th

RIP&R301@RI, Irma@KCG, Kermit@SB, 12-5-08
The SE quadrant was a bust, but a Tracy call about a reported molting animal at Sandy Beach raised my blood pressure a bit. It rose even higher when I could find nobody. A call to the guy who reported the sighting, brought the news that it had been Diamond Head where he saw the molting animal, still in the shallows, but looking like it would haul out. Posse member Colleen saw nothing from her house, but I went to Diamond Head anyway, and walked the entire length, from Beach Rd. to Black Point. I found nothing. My Monachus gene was yelling loud and clear that Kermit was going to be in future today.

When I got back to the pier at 1130, I found that RIP and R301 were now there, though widely separated. They remained there all day. Incidently, the destruction of my lanai office began today. Hopefully, the new and improved lanai will be done soon.

At 1429 a Sandy Beach lifeguard called to advise that there was an animal just hauling out at the Full Point end of Sandys. When I arrived1436 the above mentioned Monachus gene was whispering , I told you so, I told you so . Sure enough there was Kermit, looking pretty ragged. I would guesstimate his molt at 60% on D#4. The swim from WP probably sped up the process a bit. I got him cordoned off and will recheck him at dusk. I picked up the rope at the Kermit site, and left the signs. I called it a day at 1900.

The Billands reported Irma at Kalaeloa Campgrounds (last bench), this morning.

They also stopped by White Plains on their way home this afternoon , following up on a report from the lifeguards of an animal near the cottages. They found nobody, but later called to say that they had found an U/M near the graffitti bunker at Nimitz Beach. They believed it to be the same U/M they'd seen last night at Germaine's Luau Grounds. Bottom line is that it is still unknown.