DB Post Monday 10/5/2009

It was a thoroughly miserable day at Makai Pier with multiple periods of dumping rain, and short periods of marginal visibility in between. At 0713 I found RIP up in the Morning Glory, 40 ft left of 1BS. He would entered the water at 1010 and haul out again at 1021 at 3BS.

When I got back to Makai Pier at 0940 I noticed that there were two Unknowns, close together 60 ft right of 3BS. It would take some time , and a couple of rain squalls but they would ultimately turn out to be Buster and Benny. When RIP hauled out to 3BS at 1021, Benny got all "big body" and galumphed toward him, but never got closer than 30 ft. Benny postured and barked, but immediately returned to Buster's side. RIP couldn't have cared less. He just hauled out and moved up into the Morning Glory, 40 ft right of 3BS.

There were a few more squalls but at 1230 RIP moved back down to the water line. At that time I could see for the first time that his molt has begun. On D#1 I would guesstimate 5%.

At 1145 I spotted a likely looking rock, behind some other rocks at the far left end of the beach. At 1153 the rock moved, and by 1226 I could confirm that it was Mikala. She would remain at that location the rest of the observation day.

Team Billand reported Irma at White Plains at 0549. Barbara would make the Ka'ena Point trek today also, and reported Ka'ena, Kerby and M&M at KP. Jenn Maldonado reported a molting U/U on 9-30-09. I thought it likely at the time that M&M could be possibility. Apparently, that was the case. Barbara reported that all animals were now 100% molted.