DB Post Saturday 12.5.09

The Rabbit Island cast for today began with Right Spot near 1BS at the left end at 0715. When I got back to Makai Pier at 0905 I found that Buster had joined the cast 50 ft right of 1BS. At 1000 I found Mikala just hauling out at the right end of the beach.

At 0940 a male on a yellow kayak hauled out mid way between the 1st and 2nd Blue Sign and after a rest, went off to surf. He walked past first Buster and the Right Spot on his way down the beach, but neither responded to his presence. I called DOCARE dispatch at 0950, and Officer McBarnet responded. The guy returned to his kayak after his surf at 1052, and again was sitting on the beach when a Bellows Lifeguard on a jet ski pulled up just off shore of his location at 1058 and said something. The guy then began readying for departure. He left the island at 1100, and was met , and cited by DOCARE Officer McBarnet at Kaupo Beach Park at 1141.

Heeeee's Baaaaaaack !!! At 1210 Sandy Beach lifeguard and posse member Billy, called to report that an animal was just hauling out over the Half Point rocks at Sandy Beach (that's Right Spot's old location). When I arrived at 1227 I found Benny on the beach, and began setting up the cordon. As I tied the last stake he returned to the water, and began swimming, near shore toward the east end of the beach. I dismantled as quickly as possible, and got down there just as he was hauling out. I was about half way through with the cordon when he once again reentered the water and began swimming back toward Half Point. When I got back down there he was gone, apparently having departed out the channel. I hung out there for a while and saw nothing and then at 1314 relocated to the Blow Hole Lookout, to get a better overview. I immediately saw Benny's little head outside the rocks , looking like he was thinking about hauling out again, so it was back to Sandy Beach. I arrive at 1319, and found that he was swimming near shore toward the east end of the beach, where he did in fact haul out. I finally got him cordoned off, and did lots of PR with all the adoring fans who had followed him down the beach. I finally got back to the pier at 1404. My wife did a 1630 check and Benny was no longer there. A very weak witness account said that he left "about an hour ago".

Team Billand called to report Kermit at White Plains at 0640, and called again at 0825 with the report of Irma behind the Makaha Shores condo at Makaha. They called again at 1723 to report that both animals remained at their respective locations.