5/15/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 1)

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley and Canadian pal Darlene.   Lesley's complete update is dailies part 2.  
An email from posse pal Darlene sending word that she searched Ewa Beach again the morning but came up empty. Yesterday she was in Waikiki and check the some of the popular haul spots and the only thing close to a seal was a wallow at Makalei.  Thank you Darlene & (Todd) for all your support. We'll see you next year.

Team Billand started out at 5:40 am checking the usual spots and didn't see any critters. They stopped by and talked with the fishermen and they didn't see any seals in the area.
Finally at just before 7 am the spot a seal foraging off shore doing 6 minute dives.  They stuck around and were able to ID Kekoa Alii RK72.  At 7:30 Kekoa came in, landed on the left high rock. He kept looking around as if there was another seal around, but Team Billand did not see another critter.
At 8:55 Team Billand left the site to take care of some business.

On a return to the Leeward Beach, Team Billand saw Kekoa still on the left top rock, alone. There below on the lower rocks was da Benny RE74. Waves washed over Kekoa and he saw Benny they had words and Kekoa left the site for the day. (hmmm talk about territorial !!)  Benny stayed.
AND Barb spots another flipper with red tags flopping about on the rocks. She looks over to the right side and there is a smaller green on coming in with the big waves. It's Ka'ale RH32 !! 
He's doing his best riding the waves comes in and finally settles down.  They did not see any lines, hooks, they did the best they could to get photos of his face. They called NOAA with the update.
The waves continued to crash over the rocks consuming the seals. Ka'ale gets hit really hard, the wave turns him around he bears down, but the sets continured and he gave up and left the site.  Team Billand called NOAA to update that he left.


Team Billand made one last check on Benny who was being washed off the rocks himself. Benny went with the current, going right, landed in a small hole, stayed and let the big waves pass, After the waves passed he came out and stayed on the lower rocks. 
Barbara just saw Benny yesterday on her Ka'ena West hike. Seems Benny is on a west side journey and brought Kaale back to the area. Uncle Benny always took good care of the little ones.

Kekoa RK72 N2

Benny RE74

Ka'ale RH32

 such a sweet face