8/7/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

 A MUST SEE: video of RK88 "Puna" & RO40 "Ka'ena"

Out early, it was very windy and muggy on this side.

On my way to the NARS, I saw trails and wallows but no seals 'till I got to Dragon Rock and found RN58 "Luana".

Next was RO40 "Ka'ena" hauled out in Squinty's Cove - he seems to like hiding there lately.

I was walking by Nihoa & BG Pools when I had to stop to answer some txts, one bc I was in a good reception area and 2 bc of the glare you kind of have to hunk down. As I looked up I saw a white belly roll on an outside reef. A weaner, I got a weaner... phone was put down, camera out and started waiting. Kid rolled over and over, of course behind a rock. I was up on the hill, so patience was the key word. 

Little buggah swam off....but to my surprise it went around the big rock and came into Nihoa's Pool right bellow me. I made myself comfortable and started shooting. Sometimes documenting seals takes away some of the pleasure of watching them, but I had to get a tag. A longtime went by and BINGO got tag shot.

RK88 "Puna" (M) is the weaner. I put camera down beside the phone and started to enjoy watching him with a couple of hikers.

Then a loud bark and there was a big seal coming from the entrance of BG's Pool. It made it's way into a "bathtub" and kept an eye on the weaner. "Puna" swam across his pool towards the big guy that was no one less than RO40 "Ka'ena". As he made it there Ka'ena moved out into BG's Pool, Puna after getting stuck in the bathtub made his way into the same pool.

All I can say is Ka'ena is a bully !!! He snapped at the little one and nearly gave us humans and the kid a heart attack.

For our relief he turned around and left. Little "Puna" on D101 settle for a short while in a tiny pool, then back into Nihoa's (Gramma's) Pool for some foraging.

I'm not the kind of person that goes cheesy on photos but had to today on those heart shape nostrils

I headed to the point and saw a big seal swimming towards Ka'ena's Pool, I was sure it was Ka'ena but to my surprise downloading the photos I saw it was RK36 "Kauai Kolohe". Seal did a swim around the pool and left.

I went to the point  did some outreach and did not see the 2 big fellahs again.

On my way back I found RN58 "Luana" near the waterline of 10Mnts Beach. More tomorrow