Barbara's Story of RO42

I was asked to write a story of R042's departure today. Here goes.....
We ate breakfast at 3:30am, left the house from Waianae at 4:30am. Arrived at the Base in Kaneohe, 5:30am. It was totally dark and we stood there in the dark, talking to each other, not knowing who we were talking to, introducing ourselves.
Brenda Sparks, Barbara Allen, Jessica, Bill, Dr. Braun, Schofield, Chad, Brenda Becker, Tracy Wurth, Nichole Davis, Jamie and others were all present for instructions.
Shield boards were used to guide R042 gently into the cage. She immediately made the Whoop Whoop sounds, so cute, so cool to hear. Oh my, what a defence she has huh??? She went right in and, the two trap doors were opened and R042 saw the opportunity to make a run for it. We yelled and Schofield dashed to the front and slammed the door shut just in the nick of time!!!!! R042 was Caught!!! Phew!!!
The crew tried to lower the lift gate to place the cage on it. They had the same problem of not knowing how to make it lower, but, finally got it going.
I tried so hard to get pics for you all to see, it was just too dark, and then......Schofield asked the Billands to leave and go to a store for some 5minute drying Epoxy along with Super Glue. But, we came all the way from Waianae for this capture.........The Billands left immediately for Lowes in Waikele. Schofield told us to meet them all at the Barbers Pt. airfield with the supplies.
The Billands raced down to Waikele, rushed to find Epoxy and glue. A lady wanted to know what we were using the epoxy for, what project??? We told her a seal knocked off her transmitter, and , we needed to glue the transmitter back on. We found all the supplies finally after some calls to Schofield. Phew.
Rushed to the Airfield at Barbers, where we saw the Crew with R042 in line to enter. I ran to the vans and Schofield noticed me running by and yelled for me. I got the supplies to him and asked if we could please go on the airfield to take photos too. We had a hard time getting in at the gate, the guard told us they knew nothing of us coming and we were'nt allowed to just go in. We gave our Id's, he gave us temporary passes and had to be escorted to the plane.
We ran to Chad and Jamie, got to the plane, but, R042 was already loaded into the plane. And as we arrived to take pictures, to our disappointment, it was difficult due to the plane being dark inside.
I wanted to see her eyes. I wanted to feel her soul. Well, as I took pictures, R042 managed to look right at me and it was an unexplainable feeling. She had this incredible SAD LOOK, never made a sound, just gazed at me and it seemed tears came from her eyes. I was over come and felt for her. Its funny, R042 loved humans, humans who fed her, took pictures with her etc. And now, its humans who are sending her away for the 5th time. In my brain, from my heart, I bid her farewell, blew her a kiss, said a prayer and wished her a safe journey and a happy life. I also wished she'd someday make us babies. Took photos of the crew leaving, hugged them and wished them well and left the site. R042 was on her way to a new home by 9:08am.
We went seal hunting and all we could find out there just across the airfield at Windsock was Kermit, our buddie. He was snoozing on the reef. We heard the Coast Guard plane taking off and snapped a picture with Kermit on the reef and the plane in the air.
Look closely....you'll see them. Robert and I and all the many volunteers were proud to have met Miss R042. So long sweet creature of the sea and shore. It has been a pleasure to be in your company and an honor to have met you. Good luck!!!!!!!!! BB