The day began in the dark as usual, but it would be 0915 before I encountered the first critter. I'd already covered the spots ,and even sat at Spitting Cave for 1 hour, finding nobody. Seconds, after I departed SC, I got a call from Susan, saying that Kaiwi (RK96) was there. I returned and sure enough there she was, doing 8 minute dives. She was still there when I departed at 1030. When I returned at 1343 she was no longer visible. Posse members Caryn, and Gayle also did checks, and by end of day she still had not shown up at SC, nor had she been found from Crappy Cove to the AD estuaries. Only Kaiwi knows ?????
As has been the case for a few days now, Rabbit Island was once again Monk Seal free today.While I was on the afternoon session at SC, I got a call from Dera, with the report of an animal on the Kokee Flats, at 1350 , just down the road. When I arrived at 1400, to my surprise, I found Rocky (RH58) snoozin' on the flats, 300 ft left of the access path. Rocky has been there before. I knew it had been a while, but when I looked it up, I found that her last Kokee Flats visit was on 10-11-08 . Of course , my first call was to Colleen.
Team Billand checked in at 0836 reported Kermit (R012) at Wind Sock.
At 1055 the Billands found Irma (R010) at Tracks. At 1458 they found Benny (RE74) at Nanakuli Beach.
At 1158 Dana checked in with the report of an animal at Ola's, the main hotel beach at Turtle Bay. At 1429 the R5AY ID was confirmed.
Mrs. Whisperer (Marilyn) did the Ka'ena Point trek today. At 0937 she found Ka'ena (R040), Kerby (RW08), Noa (R6FI) and 761, at the end of the world.As I was leaving Makai Pier this afternoon I ran into DOCARE Officer Ken , putting up new "No Landing" signs at Kaupo Beach Park and around Makai Pier. Hopefully, it will have an impact. "Hopefully" is the operative word there. It certainly can't hurt.
Kaiwi @ Spitting Cave
Good to know this little girl has gone to where the good eats are at.
Rocky @ Kokee Flats
Great shot of Miss Rockstar!
WELL This certainly says it clear enough, lets hope it makes a difference.
Irma @ Tracks
Peaceful Irma
Kermit @ Windsock
Kermit still needs to molt, I think he's one of the few that hasn't got his new coat yet
Benny @ Nanakuli
He can look soooo calm when he's sleeping
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2 comments:
Oh My GOSH!! I never saw Kokea Flats before. It is truly a place of beauty, no wonder Rocky RH58 decided to bask there. Is it a hard to find spot? Hard to get to spot? Lots of cliff to get there? I wonder if all the seals go there..if I were a seal, I would positively go there!! Beautiful photography!!
Kermit sure loves to hang out against the rocks near the reef at windsock. When he snuggles up, you can barely see him. There was a loud clap of thunder while we were with him for a check, and he immediately rolled into the pond, just chilling, rolling, diving, got a bite to eat. It was over an hour of this, so we finally left Kermit.
As for Irma, we had gone to all the spots we know that she goes. And we just coulnt find her, until we stopped at TRACKS. There was this large seal, covered up with sand. What gave her id, that new bite mark on her right rump area. HEY theres IRMA. Cool. No signs, no ropes. She was all alone in a sandy area and ok. But on our last check in late afternoon, she had been visited by a dog, tracks all around her. Dam...
Then we got the call of a Nanakuli seal haul out. When we arrived, there were small kids laying next to Benny. Adults and kids just harrassing poor Benny, trying to go higher to rest. Its times like this that sets my blood on fire!! What are these humans trying to do, yelling at the seal, throwing sand at it, WHY???? I sat with the kids, explaining all about Benny and hoping I could reach them. Lifeguard was on the verge of calling HPD. THe three of us worked together...finally getting all to back off. Times like these, we just want to GIVE UP!!! JUST WALK AWAY ALREADY!!! Seems we just cant get the message to these people. Any ways, a DNLR person showed up. But by then, all was better...but we told DNLR what had happened!! So frustrating, just dont know how else to fix this problem. Nearly five years doing this every day you would think...things get better. Its like going back to the beginning..to ZERO!! My pressure was high, I was so upset, Rob too. Lifeguard as well.
Benny settled down..most of the folks harrassing Benny left. We still had to recheck Irma and Kermit, so we left, hoping, somehow, those folks would let the poor Benny sleep in peace. I tell you its so sad to observe a Hawaiian Monk Seal, running along the shore, getting away from crowds, up and down, almost departing, then come up again, thinking THIS SPOT IS SAFE!! MONKS ARE NEVER SAFE..THEY WILL ALWAYS HAVE PROBLEMS..so sad.
I sit here, just crying with frustrations...HOW CAN WE STOP THIS?? HOW CAN WE HELP OUR SEALS THAT ARE LEFT??? Then I think, if we walk away from all of this, we lose, the seal loses...we got to keep trying, RIGHT? Bah!!!!!!!
Yes Barb it is frustrating.... but remember all it takes is one person to make a difference.
There are more volunteers out there now than a few years ago... there are more residents that know and respect the seals than there were a few years ago. There are certainly classrooms full of children that know more about Hawaiian monk seals.
Each day, each week, each year we get to a few more.... I don't know we'll ever see a perfect situation but we do make a difference. Don't give up. For every bad situation you are able to get to.... perhaps they won't do it again next time. Perhaps these people will think twice the next time before approaching a sleeping seal....
And if they dont' maybe it will take one of them to bite them in the ass to wake them up. just saying.
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