Aloha Good People, Well it looks like Team Billand (Robert and Barbara) called out the troops after they found a bunch of rope floating around near Nimitz Jetty. This is not a typical seal haul out call but one that is necessary to do something about.... so much rope is definitely an entanglement issue especially in an area frequented by our flipper friends. The following series of pictures show Barbara and Robert Billand, David and Dera from NOAA Marine Mammal Response, and additional posse folks. A great effort responding to the call from the field... why? all to look after our marine mammals. THANK YOU ALL!
Please take a moment and check out the following link and see how the Marine Debris Program has turned a horrible situation into a Nets to Energy Program. http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/projects/netstoenergy.html
What a mess!
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5 comments:
Rob and I had been doing our usual monk seal search early this morning in the rain and strong winds. At 8am while looking for Kermit, I had noticed something large being tossed in and out of the surf at Nimitz Beach. I ran down to check it out, thinking it was a large net. But it turned out to be Huge massess of One Inch Rope from a large ship. I immediately tried to grab what the waves tossed on shore, pulled with all my might. THe wave sucked the dam thing out, but I held on. Another wave, tossed the part of the ropes back, I pulled it again. I realized the ropes were farther out and much bigger than I thought. I called for Rob, we both pulled the ropes together each time the waves floated the ropes in. It was too big for us. I called Base Police, one officer Mantec arrived, began pulling with us. We timed the waves, pulled with all our soul. We managed to get ONE PART of this large ropes above the water line. We tried the next set of ropes, Rob fell on the rocks, the waves were too big. We tied one line to a tree, the other to the bunkers. I called for help from Schofield. I asked if he could get the coast guard to help as they were just down the road from us. David couldnt reach any one. Dera called, she asked what was needed. I said more people, knives or anything to cut the ropes. She said, they would come at ONE PM. I told her bring a big truck. Mean while she asked if we could call some friends to help. I called CLAY GATES of IROQUIOS PT. He said he would come in 10 min. As soon as Clay Gates arrived, we all got busy cutting ropes apart to make dragging the thing up shore. It took the three of us forever, but we managed to chop the ropes in 5 separate piles. We dragged it all up shore, waiting for the truck to arrive. Mean while a Wayne Williams called and said he would help, we told him to come to site. Clay and I went back to cut more ropes, when the NOAA team of Dera Look and David Schofield arrived with Wayne Williams. Finally at 1:15pm we got 6 of us to toss the piles of ropes we cut earlier in the truck. But wait, we had the last largest piece left to chop up and haul in the truck. Team work between Rob and I, David, Dera and Wayne, MISSON WAS ACCOMPLISHED!!! Those ropes were ONE INCH THICK!! One ax, one knife and David's special cutter did the trick. There were NO MARINE DEBRIE FOLKS WITH US. I am so happy we all worked hard to get this mass of ropes out of the surf. So glad Kermit, Rocky or Benny wasnt around today..it would have been a tragedy!!! Thanks Clay Gates...you were AWESOME!!! Thanks Officer MENTAC, for your strengths. Thanks to Dera Look, David Schofield and Wayne Williams for coming and taking the last pile of ropes apart, and for hauling it allllll away. Team work...it always WORKS!!! Ah, Life is full of adventures...where the heck did that HUGE PILE of ROPES COME FROM and whats it used for????? Later in the day, Ed Lyman called me, asking if he could see some photos of the ropes. Maybe he can determine what kind of ropes they were. For those of you who dont know ED LYMAN, he is the Whale Rescurer, who uses special tools to disentangle HUMPBACK WHALES on MAUI. Cant wait to hear what he thinks of the ropes found. Amen!!!
Sorry I originally misunderstood... The rope was brought to the Marine Debris folks for their Net-to-energy.... I thought they also came out to the call... Thanks Barb for reporting the real story....
Again you and Rob are unbelievable... thank you for all you do.
Barbara and Robert are truly my hero's. Two of the most awesome people I've ever meet. This was a herculian task, that they didn't hesitate to jump right in. The pictures don't come close to appreciate the size and width of the area this rope was strung out over. I was truly awe struck when I arrived... and there's Rob and Barb. Pulling and cutting. Never mind the driving rain or howling wind or the crashing waves. Pulling and cutting. AWESOME!
We are truly blessed to have people like them. And I am grateful to have meet and now know Rob and Barb.
Hi Barbara and Robert! HUGE mahalo to you and the rest of the monk seal folks for helping get that big piece of marine debris out of there!!! You guys ROCK! Happy Holidays!
Much aloha, Carey M. :)
Oh thank you guys, James and Annonymous, for the really kind words for getting rid of that mass of ropes. Rob and I feel blessed you appreciate our efforts!! I was looking for a number to call for Marine Debri and didnt have it on me. Could ya give it to us now....in case we find another mass of ropes??? Merry Christmas you all!! Thanks!!!!
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