9/30/2010 DB Dailies

On my 0645 look at Rabbit Island I found a ragged Duke, snoozin' at the right end of the Middle Cliff area. He would remain there all day. His D#4 molt is 15%.

At 0751 on my Spitting Cave check, I found Kolohe doing 6 minute dives.

I got back to Makai Pier at 0930, and at 0942 Buster hauled out to the far left end of the beach. He would remain there all day.

David Schofield called at 1042 to advise that Lona was approximately 1 mile east of Turtle Bay. The ID was also confirmed with a call from Eric Tong, and by Diane Gabriel and her photos.

David Schofield called again at 1134 to advise that the hook had been successfully removed from Ua Malie's back. Thank you to Diane.....again.

Team Billand reported 2AW between the bunkers east of the Nimitz Cottages at 1552

2AW

Duke

Buster

Kolohe

9/30/2010 Auntie Diane busy on Northshore

Lona

 Ua Malie rids the pain in her back

On my 0600 check of Irma's , Irma was gone. I picked up the signs and continued the adventure.

At 0651 I found Duke, tucked into the base of the cliff, 60 ft left of 1BS, on Rabbit Island. He would move down to cool off at 0955, to the far left end and would relocate to 1BS at 1201. His D#3 molt is 5%.

At 0941 Buster arrived. He hauled out 40 ft left of 1BS, and would galumph over to join Duke at 1018,only to stay 2 minutes, and roll back to the water.

At 1200 on a pan I noticed that Duke was gone. As I panned to the right I found Duke and Buster just hauling out together , 40 ft left of 1BS. They remained there the rest of the day.



Team Billand checked in at 1554 with the report that Rocky was at Kermit's Reef, on the west side of the Nimitz jetty.

At 1704 they reported 2AW at "feedlot" CIP.

Tracy called late in the day, to advise that she got photos of Lona, on 9-28-10 at the Campbells Bird Refuge

on the North Shore.

An 1843 call from posse member , June, advised that she had received word from Bob , a Whale Clan guy, that his brother , Rich, who lives on the beach in Waimanalo had a newly hauled out Monk Seal in front of his house. When I arrived at 1907, the animal had departed, however a neighbor is said to have taken photos, so hopefully, there will be some possibility of an ID. You'll know when know.

2AW

Duke and Buster

 Rocky

9/28/2010 DB Dailies

On my first look at Rabbit Island I found nothing by surfers.....lots of surfers. Miraculously, though the place had waves and lots of people and watercraft, nobody went on the island in my presence at least. It was not until my 2nd look at 0924 that I found Duke 60 ft right of 3BS, and Sam at 1BS. Duke's D#2 molt is 2%.

On a pan at 0926 I found that I'd missed somebody on my first pan of the beach. Kolohe was behind his favorite log at 3BS, with his coconut close by . All would remain there all day.

At 1203 posse member Alice called to report and animal swimming the beach front at the east end of Sandy Beach. People following would not allow a haul out. As I was responding she advised that the animal was swimming off to the east, so I stopped at the cove at the back end of SB, at 1207, and sure enough there I found Benny investigating several spots in the cove, and rolling in the shallows. At 1214 he swam out and toward the west, so I hurried ahead and was waiting for him when he hauled out at the east end of Sandy Beach, at 1232. I cordoned him off, and left for an appointment.

As I was heading back to Sandy Beach at 1320, Alice called again to say that she was now with Irma at the cove. A passerby had told her there was an animal there, and she saw Irma's N3 bleach. When I pulled in at the cove at 1328 I found Irma in the shallows and shortly thereafter she swam out and to the east. There was no doubt in my mind that she was headed for Irma's, so I went ahead and was waiting for her when she hauled out there. I got her cordoned off, and both she and Benny have remained the rest of the afternoon.

 

At 0650 Team Billand reported Makaiwi once again at Maili, but in a slightly different location from yesterday.

At 1036 they found Kermit at the east end fence at White Plains. He would depart that location at 1109, and began moving to the west, making brief haul outs at the last cottage (#1843), then Al's Bench, and Wind Sock. At that location the Billands got a beachgoer moved just as Kermit headed for the guys beach towel. The guy had his ipod on and was clueless that there was an animal moving toward him. Again he stayed only briefly, and once again headed toward the west. He finally came to a halt between the two bunkers on the west side of th Nimitz jetty. At each of his haul outs, the Billands said he was searching and bellowing. He was obviously in hunt mode.

 

Dera called at 1400 to say that she had been advised that Right Spot was once again at her favorite spot at Turtle Bay, and that Ua Malie was on the TB side of the point today.

Benny

Irma

Sam

9/28/2010 Auntie Lesley at Turtle Bay

Right Spot

 Ua Malie in all her cuteness, even with a hook in her back.

Video from 9/25/on Kauai

Aloha, The link to this video was left by someone in the comments section. They were concerned that the seal had something around its neck... it look like scar tissue from a previous entanglement... but I could be wrong.  Any folks from Kauai checking in ?  Or anyone from NOAA/NMFS office have any input?

Pretty cool footage of the seal and a giant turtle.  Thanks

9/28/2010 Team Billand

Kermit looks very handsome in blue

 Holy crap... a close encounter of the OMG kind

 Maka ' iwi - another set of outstanding shots

9/27/2010 DB Dailies

My first order of business was to check Irma's at 0600. Irma was gone so I picked up the signs and continued the adventure.

At 0644 I found Duke on Rabbit Island, as usual, up in the grass behind Seal Rock Inet (SRI). He would later move down and spent the rest of the day there. I was happy to see that the kid has finally begun his molt. There are 3 small new patches on his chest.

On my 2nd look at RI, at 0938, I found that Sam had joined the cast, 30 ft left of 1BS, and Buster 60 ft right of 3BS.  At 0958 Kolohe hauled out to the far left end of the beach. He remained there all day.

The peace and tranquility was ended with the arrival of M38 at 1144. The boy had last visited RI on 7-25-10. He began by hauling out to join Duke, but stayed only briefly. Next in line was a brief haul out to Buster. There was no spatting but neither was happy to see the other. M38 reentered the water, and swam to the left end of the beach, and hauled out to Sam. On this leg Buster followed him at a good distance. Buster hauled out to Sam and M38 but initially maintained a distance of about 50 ft. Slowly he began sneaking closer, and when M38's threshold was reach, the battle was on. They basically did a 3 rounder, with Buster winning one, and M38 taking two. Sam was just trying to stay out of the way, wanting nothing to do with either of them .

Buster would do a slow macho roll to the water, and disappeared. Several minutes later M38 also entered the water. I lost them both.

Team Billand reported Makaiwi, once again in Maili, at 0642.

Their next call came at 1004 with the report of 2AW at Tracks.

At 1445 they found Rocky at Kermit's Reef , on the west side of the Nimitz jetty.

Dera checked in at 1508 to say that Right Spot had been her Right Spot...Spot at Turtle Bay today.

I did an afternoon Irma Quest, but alas no Irma. When I got back to the pier at 1530 Buster and M38 were nowhere to be found. Duke, however had relocated to 100 ft left of 1BS. Kolohe and Sam were still snoozin'.

An email from Diane Gabriel late today brought news that Ua Malie was on the Turtle Bay side of the point today. Unfortunately she seems to have a hook and line wrapped around her transmitter. Diane said she appeared to behaving normally and appeared to be in no distress.

Buster and M38

 Kolohe

 Sam Buster and M38

9/27/2010 Auntie Diane and Ua Malie

Ua Malie

Difference between monk seal and people ?  Laying your head on a rock covered in sand... heaven or ?