MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: September 1, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Sunday, September 1, 2019

September 1, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Welcome to September and we are 3/4 the way through 2019, my how time flies.
Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Marilyn and some very cool underwater video from out posse pal Paul.

Team Billand got a call about a seal hauling out at KoOlina. Team Billand arrived at 6:55 am and found a seal up on shore, with a bunch of folks taking pictures. There was one woman on site who was keeping folks back (she took this upon herself which was very cool, and this is how the posse gets created).

Security went searching for some signs and found some at different location, which they brought back to make a zone in a hurry. Team Billand spent time educating the folks gathering around, including a couple from Canada that had been around to see Pohaku and Nanea. Mahalos to them too!

RH92 was restless, she would go into the water, got wet, then hauls out digging her snout into the sand. Volunteer Karen arrived on site, Team Billand left the site to check for other seals.

Their next find was RG28 "Lefty" at a westside location on the rocks. He was alone resting peacefully. His tags were visible and his bright white left flipper. He is looking handsome and healthy.

At a different west side location Team Billand spotted a fat seal in the water hole sleeping. They ID'd Kekoa Alii RK72, resting. Then they spotted another seal slithering into the area.

Just about noon here come Benny RE72, looking/bobbing going to the inlet and peaking over. He then went to lower rocks, and left. Just when Team Billand thought he was gone for good at 12:20, they were wrong.
Benny returned and this time he went to the little cave site, looking around and then jumped up to

look over the rocks. A big surge lifted him and he climbed on the rocks holding on until and other surge lifted him over the rocks. That is when he saw Kekoa Alii RK72 who was sleeping.

Benny headed toward Kekoa who woke up and locked into staring at Benny. But Benny didn't care he galumphed closer, when Kekoa barked at him. This caused Benny to pause, but he continued to make his way over.

Once again Kekoa barked at him louder and Benny then turned to dive off the rocks into the water. Benny then went around headed back to the lower rock shallows and stayed there.
Unfortunately Team Billand needed to leave the site, so hopefully the boyz made "peace and played nice".

I received a text this morning from diver and posse pal Paul. He had seen Kolohe RW22 during his dive off Lanai Lookout. Paul let me know he would be sending video. I always love watching video of the seals underwater, I feel like I get to see them in action. So make sure you scroll through and catch the video clips.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from about 1:15 to 3:30 pm. On the first couple of passes she did not see any critters, except for the Masked Booby chick who is starting to flex it's wings.
About 1:30 Marilyn noticed a seal among the waterfront rocks between the 1BS and 2BS. She is reasonable sure this is RL47 Kamakana by hi weaner size and color, male belly and two tags. He moved up a bit but never left this location during her observation.

At about 2:20 Marilyn became aware of a seal about 25 feet left of the 3BS. It was reported as a UJF (unknown juvenile female) had a new coat, 2 tags and female belly. Marilyn did not see RK37's natural bleach so she is guessing it is RK38. She seemed restive and entered the water again and hauled about 10 minutes later. She kept galumphing further left along the beach. There were two person kayak near the UJF but they never landed and they moved into the Makapuu direction before getting in the water.

RH92