10/8/2010 Late Breaking Billand Report

6:20am Call from Lee, our surfer friend from the Fence Line Crew with report of a large seal on shore near the Showers at Plains.

6:59am Irma snoozing nicely on shore, alone.Roped off and signed.

7:33am Leave Irma
7:34am Windsock
7:35am Nimitz Jetty/COVE
9am Campbells Nothing, but a call from Dera with a report of a dead seal at Maili Pt. Dnlr called, DOCARE responding. TOld Dera we'd charge down to invetstigate.
9:32am Leave Campbells
9:48am Uleawa Beach...nothing

10:04am Maili Pt. Guard Rail beach and found a very fat, beautiful, I37 on the rocks way up in shore. Snoozing. But saw three young divers with gear climbing down to her. I ran as fast as I could go, I was almost there, the guy jumped closer to I37...Rob YELLED with all he had..."HEY!!!!" The boy heard, turned to see me running to them, jumped back up on the rocks...Told his friends..."SEE told you the seal was sleeping." Never need do nothing." Then he tole ME Oh dont scare the seal, we going diving now. And I37 was very alert, but ok and remained.

Rob noticed a gill lay net in the water in front of I37, about 25 feet off of the reef area. We called Dera immediately...She would call DNLR...who was some where close by looking for the dead seal.

DNLR Humphries arrived..Rob directed him to I37. We also showed him the Lay gill net and DNLR saw it.

11:00am Got a call from John the Janitor who saw three seals at Plains. One took off but one remained.

We left our I37, the gill lay net and the officer at Maili Pt.

11:25am Plains to find good ole Benny along side IRma near tower one and the fence line. Both snoozing, getting hit with the high tide coming up. We enlarged the perimeter as folks were like 10 ft. taking photos. But all got out of the way for us.

2:50pm While still with Benny and Irma all that time, another call from our posse member CLAY at Iroquios Pt. of another seal on shore who just hauled in. ROcky. He and his dog found her, coming around the rocks to haul up before them.

2:51pm A lady from New York agreed to watch over our two seals at Plains. Told her we'd be right back.

Just about the same time, got another call, but this time my daughter, who was ill and had to be rushed to Emergency at Queens.  Sending Billand family love and prayers for a quick healthy recovery.

3:07pm Arrive to find Rocky, moving about, plopping her FAT bod about to snooze. We met up with clay, told him we had to leave as we had an emergency and if he could keep an eye on Rocky. I also called Frank van steel for his help. He helped Clay out and I also called Maintenance out. Left area .

On the way home to get daughter, I called Diane Gabriel for help. We couldnt go back to the seals at Plains. If she could get someone to watch the seal, remove the ropes if need be and signs...to leave them at Tower One and we'd get it all later.

I guess we left the area around 3:30.pm.

Queens keeping my daughter, taking CT scans and blood work. Not sure what is wrong.

Home by 11:45pm. Day is done....phew.